Military equitation : or, A method of breaking horses, and teaching soldiers to ride. Designed for the use of the army.

^~y

B.

llll.l l,v

A OA M S

«»

k«(Ucv

JHT

T f n -■ i^i

■'linlMT...A«.

JOHNA.SEAVERNS

MILITARY EQUITATION :

OR,

A METHOD OF BREAKING HORSES,

AND

TEACHING SOLDIERS TO RIDE.
DESIGNED FOR THE USE OF THE ARMY.

BY

HENRY EARL OF PEMBROKE,

l£c, ^c. l^c.

Scientia, Sc Patientia.

Equitem docuere fub armis

Infultare folo, et greffus glomerare fuperbos. Virg.

Vis coniili expers mole ruit fua. Ho r .

— .^i^i^—— — II ■ ■■

THE FOURTH EDITION,

WITH PLATES.

LONDON:
PRINTED FOR G. AND T. WILKIE, NO. 57, P ATE R-NOSTE R-R OW |

AND

E. AND J. EASTON, SALISBURY,

MDCCXCIII,

TO

The king.

SIR,

WHEN the firft regiment of light dragoons was
raifed under the corrimand of my friend Gene-
ral George Augustus Eliott, we had frequent occa-t
fion to lament together the wretched fyftem of Horse-
manship, that at preferit prevails in the ARMY: A
fyftem difgraceful in itfelf, and produ(5bive in its confe-
quences of the mofl fatal evils : For troops in their own
nature mofl excellent and brave have been frequently
rendered inferior to lefs powerful ones, both in men and
horfes, for want of proper inftruftions and intelligence
in this Art, Thefe ferious confiderations (for indeed
they are very much fo) induced me to write down and
make public the following Leflons, calculated for the
life of the Cavalry : They are fuch as I have always prac^

tifed

DEDICATION.

tifed myfelf i and taught both in the above- mentioTicd
rfegirnent and felfewherfe, with conftant fuccefs. Incited
by thefe reafons, I thus prefume to lay at your Majefty's
feet this little work, the outlines only of a more exten-
iive, general one, which I intend to make public here-
aftetj fhould I fir^d time to finifli it : And I am. the more
encouraged to it from the honour You have often done
me of talking to me upon Horsemanship, as alfo from
this confidence^ that if what I here recomiilend, be
deemed in any wife likely to be ufcful, (as I flatter my-
felf it may, if candidly examined^ and judicioufly prac-
tifed) it will not fail of receiving Your MAJESTY'S
1R.oyal Approbation and Support. I am.

Sir,

Your MAJESTY^s

'MOST DUTIFUL SUBJliCT>

AND 'DEVOTED SERVANT,

P E M B R O K %

|*EM B R O KS-HoUSEj,

Fes. 15, '76«.

CONTENTS

OF THE

Following TREATISE,

CHAP. h

The method of p'-eparing horfes to he mount edy with the cir~
•cmmftances relative to it, r- - - -pagei

C H A P. II.

^he method of -placing the men and rendering them firm on horfe-
backy with fome tccafional iyiftruEli&ns for them and the
horfes i and of bits. - - , page 6

C H A P. IIL

^he method of fuppling horfes with men upon Jthenij by the
Epaule en dedans, ^c. with and zuithoict a longc, on
circles and on fir ait lines; and of working horfes in hand.
e -»-. = . . page 31

CHAP.

CONTENTS.

CHAP. IV.

Of the head to the wally and of the croupe to the walli
------- P^ge SZ

CHAP. V.
^e Trot, - -i - - • • page 6i

CHAP, VI.

The method of reining hack— —and of moving forwards immi*
diately after — of pacing — of pilar Sy ^c. — of moving
pilars i Cf<r. - ^ ^ * - page 7I

CHAP. VII.

The method of teaching horfes to Jiand firey noijesy alarms y fights,
i^c. — of 'preventing their lying down in the water—to ft and
quiet to he fhot off from-— to go over rough and had ground
—to leap hedgeSy gateSy ditcheSy ^c. flanding and flying— ^
to difregard dead horfes—to Jwimy ^c, - - p^g^ 80

CHAP,

O N T E N T S,

CHAP. VIII.

^he method of curing reftiveneJJeSj vices ^ defences j Jiarting^ and
Jiumhlingj ^'c. ----- P''ige 88

CHAP. IX.

Several remarks and hints on Jhoelng, feeding, management of
hor/es, ^f. ^c» «. ^ «. . - page 97

Page 42.
57-
61.
69.
90.

lOI.

103.

120.

ERRATA.

14. dele the comma after properly,
J 5. for appuT^ read appuis.

4. place a comma after determ'u:}.
2. place a co/on after themfehes.
II. place a full Jlop after /o.

1 5. for detejlihle read deteflahh,
17. for bc-vill.d read hc-velUd,

1 7. dele en after clmoji.

A

METHOD

O F

BREAKING HORSES,

AND

Teaching SOLDIERS to Ride, 8ce.

CHAP. I.

The method of preparing horjes to he mounted^ with the
circumjlances relative to it,

rr^FIOUGH all horles for the fervice are generally
-^ bought at an age, when they have already been
backed, I would have them begun and prepared for the
rider with the fame care^ gentlenefs and caution, as if
they had never been handled or backed, in order to pre-,
vent accidents, which might elfe arife from ikittifhnefs

fe Of

% AMETHODOF

or other caufes : and as it Is proper, that they ihould be
taught the figure of the ground they ai-e to go upon,
when they are at firfl mounted, they iliouid be previ-
oufly trotted in a longe on large circles, without any one
upon them> and without a faddle, or any thing elie, at
iirft, which might hurt, conftrain, tickle, or make
them any ways uneafy.

The manner of doing this is as follows : Put an eafy
cavejjon upon the horfe's nofe, and make him go forwards
round you, ftanding quiet and holding the longe -, and
let another man, if you find it neceffary, follow him
with a whip : All this muft be done very gently, and
but a little at a time ; for more horfes are fpoilt by
over-much work, than by any other treatment what-
ever ; and that by very contrary effects, for ibme-
times it drives them into vice, madnefs and defpair,
and often it flupifies them and totally difpirits them.
An excellent way of long'mg horfes, who are apt to carry
their heads low, (which many do) is to lo}7ge them with
a cord buckled to the top of the head-flail, and pafTing
from thence through the eye of the fnafHc into the hand

r)i the perfon who hoids the longe.

The

BREAKING HORSES, dffr. j

The firfb obedience required in a horfe, is going
forwards : 'Till he performs this duty freely, never even
think of making him rein back, which would inevita-
bly render him reflive : As foon as he goes forwards
readily, fbop and carefs him. You muft remember in
this, and likewife in every other exercife, to ufe him
to go equally well, to the right and left ; and when
he obeys, carefs him and difmifs him immediately. A
horfe, though ever lb perfeft to one hand only, is but
a half dreflcd horfe. If a horfe, that is very young, takes
fright and frands flill, lead on another horfe before him,
which probably will induce him inftantly to follow.
Put a fnaffle in his mouth; which fnaffle fhould be full,
and thick in the mouth-piece, and not too fhort : and
when he goes freely, faddle him, girting him at firft
very loofe. Let the cord, which you hold, be long
and loofe ; but not fo much fo, as to endanger the
horfe's entangling his legs in it. It muft be obferved,
that fmall circles, in the beginning, would conftrain the
horfe too much, and put him upon defending himfelf.
No bend muft be required at firft r never fuffer him to
gallop falfe ; but whenever he attempts itj ftop him with-

B 2 out

4- AMETHODOF

out delay, and then fet him oft' afrefh. If he gallops
of his own accord, and true, permit him to continue it j
but if he does it not voluntarily, do not demand it of
him at firfl. Should he fly and jump, fhake the cord
gently upon his nofe without jerking it, and he will
fall into his trot again. If he {lands ftill, plunges or
rears, let the man, who holds the whip, make a noife
with it J but never touch him, 'till it be abfolutely ne-
celTary to make him go on. When you change hands,
Hop and carefs him, and entice him by fair means to
come up to you : for by prefenting yourfelf, as fome do,
on a fudden before horfes, and frightening them ro the
other fide, you run a great nik of giving them a fliynefs.
If he keeps his head too low, heighten your hand, and
fhake the cavejfon to make him raife it : And in whatever
the horfe does, whether he walks, trots, or gallops, let
it be a constant rule, that the motion be determined and
really fuch as is intended, v/ithout the leaft lliuffling,
pacing, or any other irregular gait. A falfe gait fliould
never be fuffered. The trot is the pace, which enables
all quadrupeds to balance and fupport themfelves with
ftrmnefs and eafe. When he goes lightly, and freely,

tie

BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 5

tie his head a little inwards by degrees : more, and more
foy as he grows more fiipple, both in trotting, and gal-
loping, in the lofigey without any one upon him. Great
care muft be taken, that he always goes true, and that
his head is not kept tied for any time together ; for if it
was, he would infallibly get a trick of leaning on the
rein, and throw himfelf heavily upon his ihoulders, when
he grew tired. Every regiment fhould have fome covered
place for their riding during the winter, or nothing hardly
can be done in the bad feafon. In good weather, it
is full as well, and more pleafant, to work out of doors :
and indeed doing fo frequently prevents local routines,
which horfes are fometimes particularly apt to take in Ihut
fchools, if great care is not taken. On the other hand,
they are more often di/lraied, and apt to lofe their atten-
tion by various objefts, in fields, than they are in a ri-
ding-houfe. It is therefore difficult to decide, either for
the one, or the other. There is more liberty in the one,
than in the other, and horfes out of doors grow ufed to
objefts they would otherwife fear. In fhut fchools, work
may be more exaftiy done, perhaps, and the ground there
is bell. Both are good at proper feafons, and either will

do very well, if the Riding-Mailer is good.

CHAP.

6 AMETHODOF

CHAP. IL

The method of placing the men, and rendering them firm en
horjeback j zoith Jome occafional injiruclions for them and
the horfes j and of hits.

5/~|^IS necefifary that the greateft: attention, and the
-*- fame gentlenefs, that is iifed in teaching the hor-
fes, be obferved likewife in teaching the men, efpecially
at the beginning. Every method and art mull be prac-
tifed to create and preferve, both in man and horfe, all
poflible feeling and fenfibility, contrary to the iifage of
moll riding-mafters, who feem indiiftrioiiQy to labour at
abolifhing thefe principles both in the one and the other.
As fo many eflential points depend upon the manner, irt
which a man is at firft placed on horfeback, it ought to
be confidered, and attended to with the ftri6left care and
exa6lnefs.

The abfurdity of putting a man, wlio perhaps has ne-
ver before been upon a liorfe, (or if he hiis, 'tis probably
fo much the worfe) on a rough trotting one, on which he
is obliged (fuppofing the horfe is infenfible enough to fuf-

fer

BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 7

fer it ; and if he be not, ihe man runs a great rifl>: of break-
ing his neck) to itick with all the force of his arms and
legs, is too obvious to need mentioning. This rough
work, all at once, is plainly as detrimental at firit, as it
is excellent afterwards in proper time. No man can be
either well, or firmly feated on horfeback, unlefs he be
mafter of the ballance of his body, quite unconflrained,
with a full poffeffion of himfelf, and at his eafe, on all oc-
cafions whatever J none of which requifites can he enjoy,
if his attention be otherwife engaged j as it mull wholly
be in a raw, unfuppled, and unprepared lad, who is put
at once upon a rough horfe : In fuch a diflrefsful ftate he
is forced to keep himfelf on at any rate, by holding to the
bridle, (at the expence of the fenfibiiity both of his own
hand, and the horfe's mouth) and by clinging with his
legs, in danger of his life, and to the certain depravation
of a right feeling in the horfe j— a thing abfolutely necef-
fary to be kept delicate, for the forming properly both of
man and horfe -, not to mention the horrid appearance of
fuch a figure, rendered totally incapable of ufe and
aftion.

The firft time a man is put on horfeback, it ought to

he

« A METHOD OF

be upon a very gentle one. He never fhould be made
to trot, 'till he is quite eafy in the walk, and then on
very cafy horles at firft. Afterwards, as he grows firmer,
put him on rougher horfes, and augment by degrees the
velocity of the trot. He fliould not gallop, 'till he can
trot well J becaufe, though the motion of the gallop is
the eafieft, a horfe may be more eafily unfettled in gallop-
ing than in trotting. The fame mud be obferved in re-
gard to horfes : they fhould never be made to trot, 'till
they are obedient, and their mouths are well formed on a
walk ; nor be made to gallop, 'till the fame be effected
on a trot. When he is arrived at fuch a degree of firm-
nefs in his feat, the more he trots, (which no man what-
ever fhould ever leave off) and the more he rides rough
horfes, the better. This is not only the beft method,
(I may fay, the only right one) but alfo the eafieft and
the fhorteft : by it, a man is foon made fufficiently an
horfeman for a foldier ; but by the other deteftable me-
thods, that are commonly ufed, a man, inftead of im-
proving, contracts all forts of bad habits, and rides worfe
and worfe every day ; the horfe too becomes daily more and
more unfit for ufe. In proceeding according to the man-
ner

BREAKING HORSfeS, &c. ^

her I have propofed, a man is rendered firm and eafy upon
the horfe, and, as it were, of a piece with him ; both
his own and the horfe's fenfibility is preferved, and each
in a fituation fit to receive and praftife all leflbns effec-
tually : for if the man and horfe do not both work with-
out difficulty and conftraint, the more they are exercifed,
the worfe they become j every thing they do, is void of
all grace, and of all ufe. When the man has acquired a
perfecfl: firmnefs on a faddle, he fhould by degrees be made
equally firm on a rugi or on a horfe's bare back ; fo much
fo, as to be as firm, to work as well, and be quite as much
at his eafe, as on any demi-pique faddle. Very little pa-
tience and attention will bring this about.

Among the various methods, that are ufed, of placing
people on horfeback, few are direfted by reafon. Some
infifl, that fcarce any prefTure at all fhould be upon the
backfide ; others would have the feat be almofl upon the
back-bone : out of thefe two contrary, and equally ridi-
culous methods, an excellent one may be found, by ta-
king the medium. Before you let the man mount, teach
him to know, and always to examine, if the curb be well

C placedj

;.o A METHOD OF

placed, (I meain, when the horle lias a bit in his mouthy
which at firft he fhouid not, but only a fnaffle, 'till the ri-
der is firm in his feat, and the horfe alfo fomev.'hat taught)
and likewife if the nofe-band be properly tight ; the-
throat-band loofifh, and the mouth-piece neither too-
high, nor too low in the horfe's mouth, but rightly put,,
fo as not to wrinkle the flvin, nor to hang lax -, the girts
drawn moderately, but not too tight ; the crupper, and
the breaft-plate, properly adjufted, and whether the reins
are of equal length. They Ihould be frequently taken ofF
and made fo, when they are found not to be fo. A very-
good and careful hand may venture on a bit at firfl, and
fucceed with it full as well, as by beginning with a fnafflc:
alone : but fuch a proceeding will require more care, more
delicacy, and more time, than can be exp~e6ted in a corps,
whofe numbers are fo confiderable, and where theie are ^6
few, if any good riders : A raw man is much eafier taught
to do well, than one, who has learnt ever fo long, on bad
principles ; for it is much ir.ore difiicult to undo, than to
do j and the fame in refpecl to the horfe. On colts, it is
better in all fchools v/hatfoever, to avoid any preffure on
the bars juil at firll, which a curb, though ever io deli-
cately

BREAKING HORSFS, fJc. it

cately ufed, mud in fome decree occafion. Whoever be-;
gins a horfe with a bridle, muft be, in every reij3e6l, a.
very good, delicate rider, and be very careful that the
horfe does not get and keep his head low, whereby all ac-
tion in the fhoulders is Ipoiied. I have {<itn fome fchools,"
in France particularly, where a bit was immediately put
into a horfe's mouth at firft ; but I have conftantly ob-
ferved in tliofe fchools, that their horfes carried their heads
low, that the motion of their fhoulders was not free, but
confined. Here and there one horfe or (o^, indeed, there
might be, whofe fore-hand nature had placed fo high,
that nothing could bring it down low. Great care muft
be taken to make the men ufe their fnaffles delicately j
otherwife, as a fnaffle has not the power, which a bridle,
has upon a horfe's mouth, they will ufe themfelves to
take fuch liberties with it, as will quite fpoil their hands,
and teach the horfes to pail, be dead in hand, and quite
upon their fhoulders, entirely deprived of good adlion.
Whenever any bridles are ufed, (and they always fhould
be at a proper time, v/hen the horfes' heads are high, and
they are well determined, light in hand, and free in their
motions) they muil be all the fame i for though different

C 2 mouths

14 AMETHODOF

mouths require different Ibrts of bits, it is abfolutely ne-
ceflary that fome general uniform fort fhould be iifed
throughout a whole regiment. They Iliould differ only in
breadth, according to the breadth of each horfe's mouth.
There needs no great variety of fizes for bitting a whole
regiment. The beft I could ever pitch on, after repeated
trials, is one made after the following drawing. (Plate i.)
The weight of the bit, without the curb, is about four-
teen ounces three quarters, the curb alone weighs a-
bout four ounces and a quarter, and the little chain to
prevent horfes taking the branches in their mouth, (which
is a trick very many horfes get) three quarters of an
ounce. The whole together weighs one pound, three
ounces, and three quarters. The rings to the branches
fhould be fixed, and the reins buckled to them, to pre-
vent the latter from twifting. The mouth-piece is of a
proper lliape, height, and fubllance, and is fixed. All
fuch as are not fo, and move in the joint, have a bad, un-
certain effedl. Thin curbs are bad, and apt, if at all
roughly ufed, (a thing very difficult to prevent at all
times in fome people's hands) to cut, and damage the
horfe's mouth very much. They fliould be fiat, broad,

and

BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 13

and eafy, that they may not hurt the horfe's barhj but
they muft not be thick, or heavy. This bridle is calcu-
lated for light troops. Heavier corps, who have larger
horfes, and of another kind, may have the branches a
quarter of an inch longer, and the whole bridle fomewhat,
but very little more fubflantial. Bridles fhould never be
ufed with raw recruits, or with raw horfes, at firft : a plain
mouthed, fmooth fnaffle, does much better i the twifted,
fharp, cutting ones, are barbarous, callous making in-
ftruments at bed ; the fingle ones, as well as the double
rein ones, are often very ufeful, and agreeable even with
drelfed horfes upon all airs whatfoever, if they are apt to
get their heads low. When thefe neceflary precautions
have been all taken, let the man approach the horfe gently
near the fhoulder ; then taking the reins and an handful
of the mane in his left hand, let him put his left foot
foftly into the kft ftirrup, (but not too far in) by pulling
it towards him, left he touch the horfe with his toe,
which might frighten him ; then raifing himfelf up, let
him reft a moment on it with his body upright, but not
ftiff": and after that, paffmg his right leg clear over the
faddle, without rubbing againft any thing, let him feat

himfelf

14 A METHOD OF

^imfelf gently down. The fame precautions miifb alfo be
taken in difmounting. He muft be cautious not to take
■the reins too fliort, for fear of making the horfe rear, run,
or fall back, or throw up his head j but let him hold them
of an equal length, neither tight nor flack, and with the
little finger betwixt them. 'Tis fit that horfes fhould be
accuftomed to Hand Hill to be mounted, and not ftir 'till
the rider pleafes. The man, who holds the horfe to be
•mounted, muft not do it by the bridle, but only by the
cheeks of the head-flail, and gently, otherwife the fame
inconvenience might arife, as from the rider's holding the
reins too fhort himfelf in mounting. All foldiers fhould
be inftru6led to mount and difmount equally well on both
fides, v/hich may be of veiy great ufe in times of hurry and
confufion. Place the man in his faddle, with his body
rather back, and his head held up with eafe, without fciff-
nefs ; feated neither forwards, nor very backwards, with
the breaft pufhed out a little, and the lower part of the
body likewife a little forwards ; the thighs and legs turned
in without conftraint, and the feet in a ilrait line, ne; trier
turned in nor out: By this pofuion, the natural weight
of the thighs has a proper and fullicient prelfure ot it-

felf.

BREAKING HORSES, &c. 15

felf, and the legs are in rcaciine fs to acl-, when called
upon : they miift hang dov/n ealy and naturally, and be fo ■
placed, as not to be wriggling about, touching and-
ticiding the horfe's iides, but always near them in cafe
they fhould be wanted, as well as the heels.

The body muft be carefully kept eafy and firm, and
without any rocking, when in motion ; which is a bad ha-
bit very eafily contrafled, efpecially in galloping. The
left elbow mull be gently leant againft the body, a little
forwards ; unlefs it be fo refted, the hand cannot be
fleady, but will be always checking, and confequently
have pernicious effedls on the horfe's mouth: and the hand
ought to be of equal height v/ith the elbow j if it were
lower, it would conftrain and confine the motion of the
horfe's fhoulders, which muft be free. I fpeak here of
the pofition of the hand in general ; for as the mouths of
horfes are difFerent, the place of the hand alfo mull oc-
cafionally differ : a leaning, low, heavy fore-hand, requires
a, high hand -, and a horfe that pokes out his nofe, a low
one. The right hand arm muft be placed in fymme-.
try with the left -, only let the right hand be a little for-
warder

i6 AMETHODOF

warder or backwarder, higher or lower, as occafions may
require : in order that both hands may be free, both arms
mufl be a little bent at the elbow, to prevent flifFnefs.

A foldier's right hand Ihould be kept unemployed in
riding j it carries the fword, which is a fufficient bufinefs
for it : In learning therefore to ride, the men fhould have
a whip or fwitch in it, and hold it upwards, that they
may thereby know how to carry their fwords properly,
keeping it downwards only, when they mount or dif-
mount, that the horfe may not be frightened at the fight
of it.

The hand mufl be kept clear of the body, about two
inches and a half forwards from it, with the nails turned
oppofite to the waiilcoat buttons, and the wrift a little
rounded with eafe ; a pofition not lefs graceful than ready
for flackening, tightening, and moving the reins from one
fide to the other, as may be found neceflary.

A firm and well balanced pofition of the body, on
horfeback, is (as has already been laid) of the utmoft
confequencc i as it affecSts the horfe in every motion, and

in

BREAKING HORSES, C^c. 17

is the beft of h^lps : whereas on the contrary, the want of
it is the greatelt detriment to hhn, and an impediment
in all his a6tions. Many people make a great difFerence
about faddles, as a feriousobjed: of firmnefs; but nobody
Can be truly faid to have a feat, who is not equally firm on
flat, or demi-piqued faddles, on the true principles of
equilibre, and eafe. When the men are w^^ell placed, the
more rough trotting they have, without fcirrups, the bet-
ter j but with a itri6t care always, that tlieir pofition be
preferved very exadly. As for thofe unfeeling fellows,
who continue flicking by their hands, in fpite of all the
teacher's attention to prevent it, nothing remains to be
done, but to make them drop the reins quite on a fafe-
going horfe, and to keep their hands in the fame pofition,
as if they held them. In all cafes without exception,
but more efpecially in this, great care mufl be taken to
hinder their clinging with their legs : in fhort, no flicking
by hands or legs is ever to be allowed of at any time. If
the motion of the horfe be too rough, flacken it, 'till the
rider grows by degrees more firm : and when he is quite
firm and eafy on his horfe in every kind of motion, flir-
Tups may be given him j but he mull never leave off trot-
ting often, and working often without any.

D Th€

i8 AMETHODOF

The ftirrnps miifl: be neither lliort nor long ; but of
fuch a length that when the rider, being well placed, puts
his feet into them, (about one-third of the length of the
foot from the point of it) the points may be between
two and three inches hiQ;her than the heels : longer ilir-
rups are bad, and would make it very difncult for the rider
to get his leg over the baggage, fon^ge, cloak, &c. which
are faftened on behind upon the faddle : and fhorter would
be bad in every refpedc, and anfwer no end at all. The
length I mentioned above, isjuftthe right one, and is
to be taken in the follov/ing method : make the rider place
himfelf upon the faddle, even, upright and well, with his
legs hanging down, and the ftirrups likewife : and when-
he is in this pofition, raife the rider's toe to an equal
height with his heel, and take up the fhirrup, 'till the
bottom of it comes juft under the ankle-bone. The ftir-
rups mufc be exadbly of an equal length. The rider mufl
not bear upon liis ftirrups, but only let the natural weight
cf his legs reft on them : for if he bore upon them, he
would be raifed above, and out of his faddle ; which
fliould never be, except in charging fword in hand, with
the body inclined forwards at the very inftant of attack-
ing.

BREAKING HORSES, i^c. 19

Ing. Spurs may be given, as foon as the rider is grown
familiar with ftirrups, or even long before, if his legs are
well placed.

Delicacy in the ufe of the hands, as well as in the ufe
of the legs, rnay be given by the teacher to a certain de-
gree i but 'tis nature alone that can bellow that great fen-
fibility, without which neither one nor the other can be
formed to any great perfection. A hand Ihould be firm,
but delicate : a horfe's mouth Ihould never be furprifed
by any fudden tranfition of it, either from flack to tight,
or from tight to flack. Every thing in horfemanlhip mull
be efFefted by degrees, and with delicacy, but at the fame
time with fpirit and refolution. That hand, which by gi-
ving and taking properly, gains its point with the leafr
force, is the beft; and the horfe's mouth, under this fame
hand's direftions, will alio confequently be the beflr,
fuppofing equal advantages in both from nature. This
principle of gentlenefs fliould be obferved upon all occa-
fions in every branch of horfemanfliip. Hard, bad mouths,
may appear foft and good to an infenfible hand -, fo that it
is impoflibie to form any judgment of a horfe's mouth by

D 2 what

20 A METHOD OF

what any body tells you of it, unlefs you know the de-
gree of fenfibility, and fcience that perfon is poflefTed of
in horfemanfhip, or ride the horfe yourlelf. Sometimes
the right hand may be necefTary, for a moment, upon
fome troublefome horfes, to afTift the leftj but the fel-
domer this is done, the better j efpecially in a foldier,
who has a fword to carry, and to make ufe of,

The fnaffle muft on all occafions be uppermofl, that
is to fay, the reins of it muft be above thofe of the bri-
dle, whether the fnaffle or the bit be ufed feparately, or
whether they be both ufed together, "When the rider-
knows enough, and the horfe is fufficiently prepared and
fettled to begin any work towards fuppling, one rein muft
be ftiortened according to the fide worked to, (as is ex-
plained in its proper place) but it muft never be fo much
ftiortened, as to make the whole ftrength reft on that rein
alone j for, not to mention that the work would be falfe
and bad, one fide of the horfe's mouth would by that
means be always deadened j whereas on the contrary, it
Ihould always be kept frefti by its own play, and by the
help of the oppoftte rein's ading delicately in a fmaller

degree

BREAKING HORSES, ^u 2=1

^degree of tenfion ; the joint efFefts of which produce
in a horfe's mouth the proper, gentle, and eafy de-
gree of appui or bearing J to preferve which, -when ob-
(tained, the horfe mufl not be over-worked ; if he is, he
■will, befides other bad confequences, throw himfelf on
'h.h llioulders into the rider's hand, like a tired pofl-horfc
on the road. Colts indeed, as well as men, at firft mud
be taught the effeft of the reins taken feparately, for fear
,of confounding them in the beginning with mixed cfFefts
.of them at once. Avoid working in deep, bad ground ;
befides its fpoiling a horfe^s paces, it obliges him to throw
himfelf on his flioulders upon the rider's hand, and tea-^
^hes him to tofs his head about difagreeably.

A coward and a madman make alike bad riders, and
^re both alike difcovered and confounded by the fuperior
fenfe of the creature they are mounted upon, who is e-
qually fpoilt by both, though in very different v/ays.
The coward, by fuffering the animal to have his ov/n
way, not only confirms him in his bad habits, but creates
new ones in him : and the madman, by falfe and violent
inotions and corredions, ruins the horfe, and drives him,

throu":h

92, AMFTHODOF

through defpair, into every bad and vicious trick that
rage can fugged.

All horfes heads muft be kept very high, 'till they
are quite determined, and free in the motions of their
fhoulders,

It is very requifite in horfemanfhip, that the hand and
legs lliould acl in correfpondence v/ith each other in every
thing ; the latter always fubfervient and affiftant to the
former, Upon circles, in walking, trotting, or gal-
loping, (I mean only wliere nothing mere is intended)
the outward leg i^ the only one to be ufed, and that only
for a moment at a time, in order to make the horfe go
true, if he be falfe ; and as foon as that is done, it muft
be taken away again immediately. If the horfe is lazy,
or any ways retains himfelf, both legs muft be ufed, and
prefTed to his fides at the fame time together; if. after
having tried fofter methods, fuch as a gentle prefllire of
^he thighs, and putting the legs back, they fliould fail, but
|iot before. The lefs the legs are ufed in general, the
t>etter. Very delicate riders, in regular well attended
good fchools, never want their help j and horfes fo dref-

fed,

BREAKING HORSES, 6?r. i^

fed, are by far Hiperior to all others : they obey t!ie
fmallell toiicli on the rein, or the leaR weight of tlie
body thrown one way, or the other, imperceptibly, as may
be neceffary : the horfe and marl feern one, and the fame,
and fuch is the pradlice and teaching of great maflers ; but
that perfe6lion in the feeling of either man, or horfe, is
not to be expefted in tiie hurry which can not be avoided
in a regimiental fchool, where the numbenj are fo frj-cat.
By the term outv/ard, is iindcrrtood the fide wliich is more
remote from the center • and by inward, is rheant the fide
next to the center. In reining back, the rider fliould be
careful not to ufe his legs, unlefs the horfe backs on his
fhoulders ; in which cafe, they mufl be both a:)plied
gently at the fame time, and correfpond with the hand.
If the horfe refufe to back at all, the rider's legs mufl
be gently approached, 'till the horfe lifts iip a leg, as if
to go forwards ; at v/hich time, when that leg is in the
air, the rein of the lame fide with that leg, which is lifted
up, will eafily bring that fame leg backwards, dnd accor-
dingly oblige the horfe to back : but if the horfe of-
fers to rear, the legs muft be inllantly removed away.
The inward rein mufl be the tighter on circles, fo that

m

241 A M E T H O D O F'

the liorfe may bend and look inwards; and the outward?
one croffed over a little towards it ; and both helJ in the
left hand, that foldiers may not have their right employed,
which, as has before been obferved, mud be left free for
other more neceffary ufes.

Let the man and horfe begin all lelFons whatfoever on
very flow motions, that they may have time to underfland,
and refleft on what is taught them -, but though the mo-
dons are flow, they muft not be dull, but determined, and'
without hefitation. In proportion as the effedls of the
reins are better comprehended, and the manner of work-
ing becomes more familiar, the quicknefs of motion muft
be increafed. Every rider muft learn to feel, without the-
help of the eye, when a horfe goes falfe, even in the moft.
I'jjeedy, and moft violent motions, and remedy the fault
accordingly : this is an intelligence, which nothing but
V,ra(5lice, application, and attention,, can give, in the be-
fvinning on flow motions. A horfe may not only gallop*
f ...ife, but alfo trot and walk falfe. If a horfe gallops
Life, that is to fay, if going to the right, he leads with.
C:.c left leg j or if going to the left, he leads with the

right ;.

BREAKING HORSES, (^c, 25

Hght; or in cafe he is difunited, by which is meant, if
he leads with the oppofite leg behind to that which he
leads with before, flop him immediately, and put him ofF
again properly : the method of efFe6ling this, is by ap-
proaching your outward leg, gently, and putting your
hand outwards, ftill keeping the inward rein the fliorter,
and the horfe's head inwards, if poiTible j but if he fhould
ftill refift, then bend and pull his head outwards alfo. Re-
place it again, bent properly inwards, the moment he
goes off true. The help of the leg in this, and indeed
all other cafes, muft not be made ufe of at all, 'till that
of the hand alone has proved ineffeftuaL A horfe is faid
to be difunited to the right, when going to the right, and
confequently leading with the right leg before, he leads
with the left behind ; and is faid to be difunited to the left,
when going to the left, and confequently leading with the
left leg before, he leads with the right behind. A horfe
may at the fame time be both faife and difunited ; in cor-
redling both which faults, the fiime method muft be ufed.
He is both falfe and difunited to the right, when in going
to the right he leads with the left leg before, and the right
behind ^ notwithftandmg that hinder leg be with propriety

E more

26 A METHOD OF

more forward under his belly, than the left, becaiife the
horfe is working to the right : and he is falfe and difuni-
ted to the left, when in going to the left, he leads with
the right leg before, and the left behind j notwithftand-
ing, as above, that hinder leg be with propriety more
forward under his belly than the right, becaufe the horfc
is working to the left.

Care muft be taken, that horfes, in (lopping on the
gallop, ftop true, behind particularly, which they are
very apt not to do ; efpecially in the longe, and bent,
without any one on them.

In teaching men a right feat on horleback, the greatell
attention muft be given to prevent ftiffnefs, and fticking
by force in any manner upon any occafion : ftiffnefs
difgraces every work ; and fticking ferves only to
throw a man (when difplaced) a great diftance from his
horfe, by the fpring he muft go off with : whereas by a
proper equilibrating pofition of the body, and by the na-
tural weight only of the thighs, he cannot but be firm,
and fecure in his feat.

As

BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 27

As the men become more firm, and the horfes more
fupple, 'tis proper to make the circles lefs, but not too
much fo, for fear of throwing the horfes forwards upon
their fhoulders.

No bits Ihould be ufed, 'till the riders are firm, and the
horfes bend well to right and left ; and then too always
with the greateft care and gentlenefs. The filly cuftom of
ufing ftrong and heavy bits, is in all good fchools with rea-
fon laid afide, as it fhould be likewife in military riding ;
they pull down the horfe's head, keep it low, thereby ob-
(tru6l the adlion of the fore parts, and harden as much the
hand of the rider, as the mouth of the horfe ; both which
becoming every day more and more infenfible together,
pothing can be expefted but a moft unfeeling calloufnefs
both in one and the other. Some horfes, when firfi: the
bit is put into their mouths, if great care be not taken,
will put their heads very low ; which low pofition of the
head, provided the top of the head, and the nofe, be
nearly perpendicular, fome ignorant people call a good
qne ; without confidering, that the higher the top of the
Jiead is, provided that it is nearly perpendicular with the

E 2 tiofcj

2% AMETHODOF

nofe, the better the pofition is on every account. If the
top of the head is low, the pofition is a bad one, notwith-
ftanding the head and nofe being nearly perpendicular, be-
caufe it obftrufts the aclion of the fore parts. With fuch
horfes, raife your right hand with the bridoon in it, and
play at the fame time with the bit in the left hand,
giving and taking. A ftrong bit, indeed, will flatter an
ignorant hand, juft at firfl: ; but it will never any other,
nor even an ignorant one for any time together j for the
horfe's mouth will foon grow callous to it, and unfeeling,
and the hand the fame. Moil horfes, whofe heads are
heavy, are apt to ftumble.

On circles, the rider muft lean his body inwards ; un-
lefs great attention be given to make him do it, he will
bg perpetually lofing his feat outwards, every rapid or ir-
regular motion the horfe may make. 'Tis fcarce pofTible
for him to be difplaced, if he leans his body properly
inwards.

In(lru<flion3, both to r^in and hor^e, in riding, arc of
%\it greateft importance and coafequence ; as the fuccefs
of adtions in a great meafure depends upon them. Squa-
drons

BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 29

-drons are frequently broken and defeated through the ig-
norance of the riders, or horfes, but mofl commonly of
both together. Many and various are the difafters, that
•arife from the horfes not being properly prepared and fup-
pled, and from the men not being taught firm feats, in-
dependent of their hands, and the mouths of their horfes.
Were the men rightly inftru6ted how to keep the mouths
of their horfes frefh and obedient, and thereby maintaia
a cadeneed pace, (be it ever fo faft, or ever fo flow) ranks
would of courfe be always dreffed, and unfhaken, and
confequently always powerful. The flouteft, and by na-
ture, the befl of cavalry, is often broken, and thereby
rendered inferior far to much weaker and lefs refpe6tablc
bodies than themfelyes, for want of being properly in-
formed in the above-mentioned, and fuch-like particu-
lars. This is a matter worthy of a ferious infpeftion,
confideration, and amendment, the negle6l of which has
ppon many occafions been very fatal. 'Tis to be hoped,
that fome perfon of fufHcient authority and knowledge will
contrive to introduce many alterations, that appear very
necefTary in the cavalry. To what purpofe is cavalry loaded
with fuch monllrous heavy boots and firelock ? a lighter,

yet

20 AMETHODOF

yet full as ftrong, and much more ferviceable boot might
be eafily contrived. A light carabine would fuit them
far better. A hat feems to me a filly and ufelefs piece of
drefs in a foldier : it is continually falling off, efpecially
in aftion i nor can it ever ferve as a protection againft
blows, &c. or bad weather, which are circumftances of
great confequence : whereas a cap has no inconveniences
at all attending it, may be made very ornamental and of
a martial appearance, and in fuch a manner, as to be a
good fence againft blows, rain, fnow, and ftormy winds,
and alfo convenient to fleep in.

CHAP.

BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 31

CHAP. III.

fi6^ method of /tippling horfeSy with men upon theniy by tht
Epaule en dedans, i^c. with and without a longe, on
circles and on jlrait lines ; and of working horjes in-
hand.

TTTHENahorfe is well prepared and fettled in all
^ ' his motions, ('till when nothing more miift be at-
tempted) and the rider firm, (which is alfo as abfolutely
neceflary) it will be proper then to proceed on towards
a farther fuppling and teaching of both. In regiments,
efpeciaily thofe that are young, there are but very
few, if any, tolerable horfemen ^ which makes the greateft
exadlnefs and gentlenefs abfolutely neceflary in the in-
ftru(5ting of both : and more particularly fo in this cafe,
as horfe and man are both ignorant, and mufl be both a-
like taught together j which is a difficulty, that does not
exift in fchools ; for there a young rider is put upon a
made, or at leafl: a quiet horfe ; nor do any, but able ri-
ders, ever rftount a rav/ one.

In

Zi AM£THODOF

In fetting out upon this new work, before which the
horfe fhould be taught to go well into the corners, both
with his fore and hinder parts, on a walk, (without be-
ing bent, for that cannot be yet expedled, though it will
be foon) and be very light in hand ; when he does it,
begin by bringing the horfe's head a little more inwards
than before, pulling the inward rein gently to you by de-
grees. When this is done, try to gain a little on the
flioulders, by keeping the inward rein the jQiorter, as be-
fore, and the outward one crofled over towards the in-
ward one. The intention of thefe operations is this : the
inward rein ferves to bring in the head, and procures the
bend j whilft the outward one, that is a little crofied*
tends to make that bend perpendicular, and as it fhould
be J that is to fay, to reduce the nofe and the forehead to-
be in a perpendicular line with each other: it alfo ferves^-
if put forwards, as well as alfo crofled, to put the horfe
forwards, if found necefi^ary j which is often requifite, many
horfes being apt in this, and other works, rather to lofe.
their ground backwards, than otherwife, when they fhould
rathef advance : if the nofe were drawn in towards the
breaft beyond the perpendicular, it would confine the mo-
tion-

BREAKING HORSES, t^c, S3

tion of the fhoulders, and have other bad effcds. All
other bends, befides what I have above fpecified, are falfe.
The outward rein, being croffed, not in a forward fenfe,
but rather a little backwards, ferves alfo, when neccfTary,
to prevent the outv/ard ilioulder from getting too for-
wards, which facilitates the inward leg's crciTuig it ;
which is the motion that fo admirably fupples the fnoul-
ders. Care muil be taken, that the inv/ard leg pafs over
the outward one, without touching it j this inv/ard leg's
crofTing over mud be helped by the inward rein, whicll
you mufl: crofs towards and over the outward rein, every
time the outward leg comes to the ground, in order to
lift and help the inv/ard leg over it : at any other time,
but jufb when the outward leg is come to the ground, it
would be wrong to crofs the inv/ard rein, or to attempt
to lift up the inward leg by it : nay, it woiild be de-
manding an abfolute impofllbility, and lugging about the
reins and horfe to no purpofe -, becaufe a very great part
of the horfe's weight refling upon the inward leg would
render fuch an attempt, not only fruitlefs, but alfo pre-
judicial to the fenfibility of the mouth, and probably o-

F bli<>e

v3

j4 AMETHODOF

blige him to defend himfelf, without being produdtivc of
any fiipplmg motion whatfoever.

When the horfe is thus far familiarly accuilomed to
what you have required of him, (but by no means before
he is entirely fo) then proceed to efFeft by degrees the
fame crofling in his hinder legs. By bringing in the fore
legs more, you will of courfe engage the hinder ones in
the fame work : if they refiit, the rider muft bring botli
reins more inwards -, and, if neceffary, put back alio, and
approach his inward leg to the horfe : and if the horfe
throws out his croup too far, the rider mufl bring both
reins outwards, and if abfolutely neceffary, (but not o-
therwife) he muft alfo delicately make ufe of his outward
leg for a moment, in order to replace the horfe properly ;
obferving, that the croup fliould always be confiderably
behind the fhoulders, which in all a6lions muft go firft ;
and the moment that the horfe obeys, the rider muft put
his hand and leg again into their ufual pofition. In this
leffon, as indeed in almoft all others, the corners muft
not be negleded : the horfe fliould go well, and tho-
roughly into them. Bring his fore parts into them, by

croffirvg

BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 35

crofTing over the inward rein towards the outward one,
(but without taking ofi" from the proper bend of the
head, neck, and flioulders) and bring them out of the
corner again by croiTmg over the outward rein towards the
inward one. Thefe ufes of the reins have alfo their pro-
per efrecls upon the hinder parts.

Nothing Is more ungraceful in itfelf, more detrimental
to a mail's feat, or more deitruttive of the fenfibility q{ a
horfe's fides, than a continual wriggling unfettJedncfs in
a horfeman's legs, which prevents the horfe from ever
going a moment together true. Heady, or determined.
'Tis impoffible, upon the whole, for a man to be too firm,
fettled, and gentle. A foft motion may be always infor-
ced, if neceffary, with eafe ; but an harili one is irreco-
verable, and its bad confequences very often almoft irre-
parable. Men are very apt to get this trick of wrigglino-
their legs, even in going ftrait forward, and more fo with
one leg particularly put back in changing of hands ;
which Ihould be done by the reins only, in a graceful,
ftill manner, and v/ithout letting the horfe either throw
jiimfelf over too fall, or go lazily over to the other hand ;

F 2 the

^6 A M E T H O D O F

the rider's hand alone is ahiioft always fufficient ; and, if
it llioiild not, many things fliould be tried, before fo ugly,
and bad a refource, as the above-mentioned is thought
of i I ft, that of fqueezing the thighs ; 2d, approaching
gently the calves of the legs, and 3d, ufing the fpur j but
without diftorting the leg, or foot, which a good mailer
will not permit to be done.

A horfe fliould never be turned, without firfl moving
a ftep forwards ; an imperceptible motion only of the
hand, from one fide to the other, is fufficient to turn him.
It muft alfo be a conftant rule, never to fuffer a horfe to
be flopped, mounted, or difmounted, but when he is
well placed.

At firfl, the figures worked upon mufl be great, and
afterwards made lefs by degrees, according to the im-
provement which the man and horfe makej and the ca-
denced pace alfo, which they work in, mufl be accor-
dingly augmented. The changes from one fide to the
other, muft be in a bold, determined trot, and at firll quite
ftraight forwards, without demanding any fide motion on
Vffo pijiesj which it is very necefTary to require afterwards,

when

BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 37

when the horfe is fufficiently fuppled. By two pijies is
meant, when the fore parts and hinder parts do not fol-
low, but defcribe two different lines.

In the beginning, a huge is ufeful on circles, and alfo
on flraight lines, to help both the rider and the horfe ;
but afterwards, when they are grown more intelligent,
they Ihoiild go alone. No one, not even the befr riders,
fliould ever quite leave off trotting every now and then, in
the longe, both with, and without ftirrups. At the end
of the leffon rein back, and then put the horfe, by a lit-
tle at a time, forwards, by approaching both legs gently,
and with an equal degree of preffure, to his fides, (if ne-
ceffary) and playing with the bridle : if he rears, pufh
him out immediately into^ a full trot. Shaking the cavcf-
Jon on the horfe's^ nofe, and alfo putting one's felf bcf:)re
him, and rather near to him, will generally make him
back, though he otherwife refufe to do it: and moreover,
a flight ufe and approaching of the rider's legs, will forae-
times be neceffary in backing, in order to prevent the
horfe from doing it too much upon his H'loulders j but
the preffure of the legs ought to be very fmall, and taken

quite

38 AMETHODOF

quite away the moment that he puts himfelf enough upon
his haunches. The horfe mufl learn by degrees to back
upon a ftraight line, but to make him do fo, the rider
rnufl- not be permitted to have recourie immediately to his
leg, and fo dilrort himfelf by it, (which is generally prac-
tifed with the common fort of riding-mafters) but fiifl
try, if croffing ovt r his hand and reins, to which ever fide
may be neceffary, will not be alone fufficient j which
moft frequently it will ; if not, then employ the leg,
which Ihould never be ufed 'till the laft extremity.

After a horfe is well prepared, and fettled, and goes
freely on in all his feveral paces, he ought to be in all his
works kept, to a proper degree, upon his haunches, with
his hinder legs well placed under him j whereby he will
be always pleafant to himfelf, and his rider, will be light
in hand, and ready to execute whatever may be demanded
of him in reafon, with facility, vigou*, quicknefs, and
delicacy.

The common niethod, that is ufed, of forcing a horfe
lidcways, is a moft glaring abfurdity, and very hurtful
|:q the animal in its confequences ; for, inftead of fup-

pling

BREAKING HORSES, ^c. ^9

pling him, it obliges him to ftiffen and defend himfelf,
and often makes a creature, that is naturally benevolent,
a reftive, frightened, and vicious man-hater for ever. In
general 'tis a maxim, as conftantly to be remembered,
as it is true, that it is more difficult to corre(5l faults and
bad habits, than to forefee and prevent them. Horfes
under riders, who ufe their legs, are, when going to work
on two piftes, perpetually fetting off with the croup fore-
moft, than which nothing hardly can be worfe. It is ow-
ing to the leg of the rider being applied to the fide of
the horfe, before the hand has determined the fore parts
of the animal, on the line, upon wliich he is to go.

For horfes, who have very long and high fore- hands,
and who poke out their nofes, a running fnalile is of ex-
cellent ufe ; but for fuch, as bore and keep theh" heads
low, a common one is preferable -, though any iicrfe's
head indeed may be kept up alfo with a runnin- one, by
the rider's keeping his hands very high and forwards ; but
that occaiions a bad and aukward polition in the man.
They are, as plainly appears from their confrruaion, bad
for tripping and (tumbling horfes. Whenever either is

ufcd

4Q AMETHODOF

ufed alone, without a bridle, upon horfes that carry theif
heads low, and that bore, it mufl be gently fawed about
from one fide to the other.

Every body knows the conftruftion of a running fnaffle*
(Plate 2.) They will fee from that conftrudlion, that the
purchafe of it is greater than that of a common one. As
its firft point of appui is at the pommel of the faddie,
lower than the rider's hand, they will alfo eafily perceive,
why they are good for horfes, who have high light fore-
hands, and why they are bad for fuch as have low and
heavy ones. They are good for many horfes, when ufed
as a bridoon with a bridle, in cafes of remarkably long,
high fore-hands, and poking heads. On horfes, whofe
heads and fore-hands are difficult to raifc, a running fnaf-
fle, but not one fixed in the ufual manner, is often very
ufeful. The reins of it fliould be paffed through an eye
fixed on each fide the head, pretty high up on the head-
ftall towards the ears, before they come into the rider's hand.
(Plate 3.) When fixed at firft to the rings on the head-
ftall, and coming through the eyes of the fnaffle into the
rider's hand, without being at all fixed to the faddie, they

will

BREAKING HORSES, ^c, 41

will often alfo be very ufeful. This leflbn of tht Epaule en
dedans J is a very touchftone in horfemanlliip, both for man
and horfe. Neither one nor the other can be drefied to
any degree without a confummate knowledge of it ; but
it muft not on any account be pra6lifed in the field in exer-
cifes, or evolutions : there the horfes mull always bend
towards the fide they are going, a thing (to the fhame
of the cavalry be it fpoken) fo rare to be feen. The E-
paide en dedans reverfed, is particularly advantageous to
horfes who are apt to throw themfelves forward. By re-
verfed, I mean when the fhoulders are worked upon the
outward larger circle, and the croup on the fmaller cir-
cle next the center.

Horfes well perfeded in the Epaule en dedans may un-
dertake, and foon learn any other leiTons whatfoever.
It ought, like all others, to be prad-ifed on all figures,
circles, ftrait lines, fquares, &c. and when on this laft,
which is an excellent lefTon, (as alfo in every leffon, and
on all figures, where there are corners and angles) care
muft be taken concerning the Ihoulders and croup, that,
which ever of thein is to enter the corner firft, may go

G quite

42 AMETHODOF

quite into itj and let that which goes in lafl, follow
(?xa6lly the fame ground. This rule can not be too much
attended to. The croup, indeed, can never enter the
corner firfl, except in working backwards.

Of working in hand.

WORKING in hand requires a certain degree of
a<5tivity, a quick eye, and, like every thing elfe
^bout horfes, good temper, and judgment. Though it
cart not t>e looked upon as a very difficult thing, I have
feen few people fucceed in it : none indeed, to any con-
fiderable degree, except Sir Sidney Medows, and the
Cavaliere Rossermini, at Pifa, author of the Cavallo
Perfetto. Begin by trotting, then galloping the horfe
properly, bent inwards by a flrap tied from the fide ring
pn the cavejfon to the ring on the pad. (Plate 4.) To the
head-ftall of the longe, a flrap and biickle under the throat
is very ufeful to prevent the fide part of it from chafing
againft the eye, which it is very apt to do, when the bending
flrap is ufed, and drawn at all tight. Do this for a little

while

BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 43

ivhile only at a time. If the horfe leans on the llrap which
is tied to bend him, take oiF the caveffon, and ufe in its
(lead one of the long firings which will be mentioned and
explained a little further on, coming firft from the rino-
on the pad, and from thence through the eye of the fnaf-
fle; (Plate 5.) and alfo, if the horfe's head is low,
through the ring on the head-ftall, and from thence
through the ring on the pad, (Plate 6.) into the hand of
theperfon on foot, who muft humour it, yielding and takino-
it up occafionally, which will prevent the horfe's leaning,
and make him light. (Plate 6.) The long firing, thus ufed,
will do very well alone, without the llrap, wlien the horfe
is accuflomed to bend, and to trot determined round the
perfon who flands in the center, and holds the long firing.
After horfes have been a little accuflomed to be bent
■With a flrap at the longe, they will very foon longe them-
felves, as it were ; that is to fay, that bent with the
llrap, they will go very well without any longe 3 and in-
deed, horfes may be brought, v/ith patience and gentle-
nefs, to work very well fo on almoft all lefTons in hand.
Next begin the epaule en dedans^ and after that, the head to
the wall, the croup to the wall, piafHng, backing, &c.
on all figures, by degrees. I have obferved, that moft
horfes generally go the head to the wall more cordially at

G s firft.

44 AMETHODOF

firfl", than they do the croup to the wall. Working in
hand is, if I may be allowed the exprefTion, a kind of
driving. In explaining the method of working in hand,
we will ufe the right all the way through. Two people on
foot fhould be employed about it j one indeed may do,
and well, if it is a handy perfon, but two are much better
at firfl : one of thefe people holds a long firing, and in
fome lefTons two long firings, fixed, as fhall be prefently
explained, and a chamhrierey flanding at fome dillance
from the horfe ; the other perfon flands near the horfe,
holding the reins of the fnaffle, and a hand whip, to keep
the horfe ofi^from him, when neceffary. Girt a pad, with
a crupper to it, upon the horfe : the pad mufl have a large
ring in the center upon the top of it, and, about four
inches lower down on each fide, a fmaller one. On the
top of the pad, a little forwarder than the great ring,
there mufl be a fmall flrap, and buckle, which ferve to
buckle in the fnaffle reins, and to prevent their floating
about, and the horfe entangling his legs in them, in the
longe. Horfes mull never be worked in hand with any
thing in their mouths, but a large, thick, plain, running
fnaffle : a bridle is too ticklifli, and would fpoil the horfe's
mouth, unlefs it be in the hands of a very able mafler
indeed \ for, in working in hand, it is next to impofTiblc

to

BREAKING HORSES, C^c. 45

to be fiifRciently gentle, and delicate with it. The eyes
of the fnaffle fhould be large, and on the head-flail, a-
bout the height of the horfe's eye, lliould be fixed a ring
on each fide. The perfon with the chamhriere holds a long
ftring, about eighteen feet long, (fo as to be out of the
reach of the horfe's heels) which muft be fmooth, of a
proper thicknefs, and not ftick, but run free. This ftring,
in the epaiile en dedans^ (Plate 7.) to the right, is buckled
to the right hand fmall ring on the pad, v/here the reins
of the running fnaffle are firft fixed -, from thence it palTes
through the right eye of the fnaffle, and from that to
the right hand fmall ring on the hcad-ftall, and througji
the large ring on the top of the pad, into the hand of
the perfon who holds the chamhriere^ and who, by means
of this ftring, bends the horfe to the right, and brings
in his ftioulderj following him on his right fide, and
tightening and loofening the ftring, as he finds it Vitz^{-
fary. If the horfe's fore-hand is high, and well placed, it
will not be neceftary to pafs the ftring througli the ring
upon the head-ftall : at the fame time, another perfon
ftanding near the horfe, the fnaffle reins feparated, and
the right one tied loofe on the right fide, leads him on
with the left rein of the fnaffle in his hand, walking near

his

4^ Amethodof

his head, and taking care to keep the fhoulders in their
proper place, and not to take off from the bend to the
right, which is occafioned by the firing in the other per-
fon's hand, who will find it moft convenient, when work-
ing on this leflbn to the right, to hold the firing in his
right hand, and the chamhriere in his left, and fo vice verjd:
Thefe he miift make ufe of, and keep himfelf more or
lefs upon the flank, center, or rear of the horfe, as he finds
necefTary. In the changes from right to left, in the
e'paule en dedans, the perfon nearefl the horfe mufl be quick
in getting on the horfe's left fide; and the perfon with
the chamhriere mufl do the fame ; the former coming round
by the horfe's head before him, and the latter round by
his croup behind him ; and fo vice verJd to the left. In
the head, and in the croup, to the wall, both the men
are already properly placed for the changes. In this lef-
fon of the e'paule en dedans, in hand, when a horfe is very
clumfy, heavy in hand, fliff, headflrong, vicious, or
apt to flrike with his fore feet, or to rear or kick out be-
hind, a flick, or pole, is very ufeful j the flick, (about
feven feet long) is faflened by a flrap and buckle through
the eye of the fnaffie, where the reins pafs : a man places
himfelf, at a certain diflance, on the fide of the horfe's

head.

BREAKING HORSES, &c. 47

head, going before him over the ground to be worked
upon, and holds the flick at arm's length, having tied it
lb, as to leave it room to play, as he draws it gently back-
wards and forwards to refrelh and enliven the mouth. The
other man holds a long rein, and the chambriere^ as repre-
fcnted in Plate 7. Like the pillars, this leflbn is excel-
lent, or bad, according to the hands it is in. I have
known a horfe's jaw broke, and his tongue cut in two by
it, and therefore it muft be ufcd in the moft fkilfui
and temperate manner, or not at all : it is ufeful in
raifing horfe's heads ; of thofe, particularly, who are apt
to get their heads down, or to kick in piaffing on for-
Jwards, &c. Almoft any lefTons may be done by the help
of this pole.

To work in hand, the head and the croup, to the wall,
(Plate 8.) two ilrings fixed, as above defcribed, (only
that they muft not come at all through the large ring on
the pad, but from the fmall rings on the head-ftall, im-
mediately into the hand of theperfon who holds the cham-
hriere) muft be ufed, one on each fide : one ftring, indeed,
might do j the right one, in working to the right, and

fo

48 A METHOD OF

fo vkeverfd: but two are much better, and often necef-
iary, to help to keep the horfe in a proper pofition. Faf-
fing the firings through the rings on the head-ftall, is
not neceffaryj when the horfe carries his fore-hand high,
and well -, and when they do pafs through them, great care
muft be taken, by a gentle ufe of them, that they do not
gag the horfe : thefe two firings mufl be buckled together,
and meet in the hand of the perfon who holds the cham-
hrierej and who is on the left fide of the horfe : the fnaffle
reins too mufl be joined, and the perfon near the horfe,
who holds them, muft alfo be on the left fide of him, and
near his fhoulder, holding the right rein of the fnaffle the
Ihortefl, to bend him that way, (as does alfo the right
firing kept the tighteft in the other perfon's hand) and
making ufe alfo of the left rein, when neceffary, to keep
che horfe in a proper pofition^ and to guide him
occafionally, as if he was upon him : and never fo, as
to take away from the bend. The lefTon of the head,
or croupe, to the wall, in hand, is often done better, when
the man who follows, and holds the chambrierey has no
long reins, or only one long rein, unlefs the horfe is very
aukward, refraflory, or playful j for one of the long

reins

I

BREAKING HORSES, &c. 4^

reins is apt to get into the way of the man, who is Hearer
to the horfe. When only one long rein is ufedj it will
be, of courie, the right hand one, to the right, and fo
'vice verjd. And indeed, in other leffcfns in hand, thefe
long reins are no longer neceflary, when the horfe is
grown handy ; provided the man nearer to him has a feel-
ing, fenfible, good hand, and perfedbly knows what he is
about* On the head or croup to the wall, in handj it is
a good way, at firR-, to h^ve a man, holding a long firing
buckled fimply to the eye of the fnaffle, go before the
horfe, leading him, as it were, along the wall* Hor-
fes will, with care and patience, not be very lofig bet-
fore they work well in hand j though, indeed, hever
fo truly, or delicatelyj as under a good rider; Horfea
worked well in hand look particularly well in coming
up the middle, and backing there on the piafFer, as
alfo in the piaffer, in one placCj both bent, (Plate 9.)
and ftraight, animated properly, and kept in a good po*
fition, their mouths being properly played with, and hu-
moured. When horfes become free, and familiar with
this method of working them in hand, it Ihould be done
by degrees on all paces, fall, and flow, but always with-

H out

50 A METHOD OF

out noife, hurry, or confufion. Nothing determines them
better than working them in hand, when it is well done.
As the want of great accuracy, and delicacy is, from
-the great numbers, in fome meafure unavoidable in mili-
tary fchools, it is not amifs to teach troop horfes a little
their lefTons in hand, before the men do them on their
backs. One of thefe firings may be ufed by the perfon who
^ holds the chambriere on foot, when the horfe is mounted ;
and it is a good method to do fo, fometimes, on all lef-
fons, and on all figures. This firing faftened, as in the
epaule en dedans^ only that it goes immediately from the
eye of the fnaffle into the hand of the perfon on foot, who
mufl fland in the center of the circle, helps the perfon upon
the horfe in the longe very much to bend him, as it does
indeed in all other lelTons. When the horfe has a rider otx
him, only one firing is necefTary to be held by the perfon
on foot. In the head to the wall, croup to the wall, piaf-
fing, &c. &c. it mufl be fhifted (for example, in the head
to the wall, &:c. &c. to the right) under the horfe's jaw,
from through the right eye of the fnafBe, into the hand
of the perfon on foot, who is on the left of the horfe i for
it need not pafs through the fmall ring on the head-flail

of

BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 51

of the fnaffle j the man upon the horfe being the proper
perfon to keep the horfe's head up. It is fometimes ex-
pedient to pafs the firing over the horfe's neck under the
rider's hand, inflead of under the horfe's jaw. It mufl be
fixed, in the firft place, like a running fnafflle, to the
Ikirts of the faddle, from whence it goes, as above-men-
tioned, through the eye of the fnaffle into the hand of the
perfon on foot, after having paiTed under the horfe's jaw.
To piaffer too without any rider, on fquare, and all other
figures, advancing gently, and well into the corners, is a
very good leflbn. One man muft iland exactly before the
horfe, with his face to him, holding the two eyes of the fnaf-
fle, and keep the horfe advancing gently, by going back-
wards himfeif The man with the chambrierc muft ftand be-
hind the horfe, and animate him, or not, as he finds ne-
ceffary. Backing the horfe fo too fometimes is ufeful :
that may alfo be done on all figures. The degree of viva-
city, or dulnefs in the horfe, muft determine how the man
with the chambriere is to aft, and where he is to place him-
feif, when the horfe is backing. A horfe when well taught
may be worked, and it is then the beft way, by a fingle man
with long reins, and a chambriere, without any other per-
il 2 fon

i% A M E T H O D O F

fon to aflift, (Plate lo.) AH airs in hand are to be worked
(o, whenever the animal is become fupple and obedient.

Working in hand is very particularly ufeful in Military
Equitation, becaufe it fpares the horfe the fatigue of any
weight upon him ; and the want of a proper allowance of
corn, to enable horfes to go through the work with vi-
gour, is a general army complaint^ almoft in all European
fervices, When it is well done, it has a mafterly, adive
appearance, and is always very ufeful in fuppling and de-
termining horfes j but, paft all doubt, a good rider moun-
ted, who feels every motion of the horfe, muft a6b with
more precifion, delicacy, and exadlnefs,

Great part of what has been faid here, of working in
hand, belongs properly to other chapters, but I was un-
willing to divide the fubjedl, and have therefore placed
here what I had to mention about it.

CHAP.

BREAKING HORSES, ^c. $3

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

CHAP. IV.

Of the head to the wall, and of the croup to the wall.

THIS leflbn ihould be praftifed immediately after that
of the epaule en dedans^ in order to place the horfe
properly the way he goes, &c. The difference between
the head to the wall, and the croup to the wall, confifts
in this : in the former, the fore-parts are more remote
from the center, and go over more ground ^ in the latter,
the hinder-parts are more remote from the center, and
confequently go over more ground : in both, as likewife
in all other leflbns, (thofe done in backing only excep-
ted) the fhoulders mull go firft. In riding-houfes, the
head to the wall is the eafier leflbn of the two, at firft,
the line to be worked upon being marked by the wall,
which is not far from the horfe's head. All leflbns ought
to be frequently varied, to prevent routine.

The motion of the legs in the leflx)n we are fpeaking
of, to the right, is the fame as that of the epaule en dedans
to the left, and fo vice verjdy but the head is always bent

and

^4 AMETHODOF

and turned differently : in the epaule en dedans y the horfc
looks the contrary way to that which he goes j in this he
looks the way he is going.

In the beginning, very little bend mufi be required ; de-
manding too much at once would perplex the horfe, and
make him defend himfelf: it is to be augmented by degrees.
If the horfe abfolutely refufes to obey, it is moft probably a
fign that either he or his rider has not been fufficiently pre-
pared by previous leffons. It may happen, that weaknefs,
or a hurt in fome part of the body, or fometimes temper,
though leldom, (in the horfe I mean) may be the caufe of
the horfe's defending himfelf: 'tis the rider's bufinefs to
find out from whence the obilacle arifes, and to remove
it J and if he finds it to be from the firft mentioned caufe,
the previous lefibns muft be refumed again for fome time ;
if from the fecond, proper remedies mufl be applied i
and if from the lafl caufe, when all fair means that can
be tried, have failed, proper corredlions, with coolnef^
and judgment, muft be ufed.

In pradifing this lefTon to the right, bend the horfe to
the right with the right rein, helping the left leg over the

right.

BREAKING HORSES, ^c 55

Tiglitj (at the fame time when the right leg is ji^.ft com«
to the ground) with the left rein croiTed towards the right,
and keeping the right fhould'cr back with the right rein
towards your body, in order to facilitate the left leg's
crolTing over the right ; and fo vke verjd to the left^ each
rein helping the other by their properly-mixed effedls. In
working to the right, the rider's left leg helps the
hinder parts on to the rightj and his right leg Hops them^
if they get too much fo ; and fo ince verfd to the left j but
neither ought to be ufed, 'till the handj being employed,
(as has before been explained) in a proper manner, has
failed, or finds^ that a greater force is necefTary to bring
what is required about, than it can effeft alone -, for the
legs fhould not only be correiponding with the hand, but
alfo fubfervicnt to it ; and all unnecefTary aids^ as well as
all force, ought always to be avoided as much as pofii-
ble. In firft beginning to teach this lefTon, the croup
mull be but little conftrained s as the horfe grows more
fupple, engage it more by degrees.

In the execution of all lefTons, the equilibre of the ri-
der's body is of great ufe^ eafe and help to the horfe : it

ought

S6 AMETHODOF

ought always to go with and accompany every motion of"
the animal; when to the right, to the right; and when
to the left, to the left ; if it does not, it is a very great
hinderance to the horfe's going.

This leflbn is perpetually of fervice ; for example, in
all openings and clofings of files : and though it be chiefly
employed on ftraight lines, neverthelefs it muft be prac-
tifed, advancing, retreating, turning, &c. as it may be
of eflential ufe almoft in all cafes whatever : it muft be
pradbifed too in all paces, very faft as well as very flow,
but of courfe gently at firft; and changes alfo from one
hand to the other muft frequently be made on two piftes.
*Tis natural to imagine, that fome horfes, as well as
fome men, will be found more or lefs intelligent, adive,
vigorous, and fupple, than others ; and accordingly more
or lefs is to be demanded and expefted from them. This
and all other lefTons are to be performed with or without a
longe, as may be found needful.

Upon all horfes, in every lefTon and a6lion, it mufl be
obferved, that there is no horfe but has his own peculiar
ap^ui or degree of bearing, and alfo a fenfibility of mouth,

BREAKING HORSES, ^c, 57

as likewife a rate of his own, which it is abfoliitely necef-
fary for the rider to difcover and make himfelf acquainted
with. A bad rider always takes off at leaft the delicacy of
both, if not abfolutely deftroys it, which is generally the
cafe. The horfe will inform his rider when he has got his
proper bearing in the mouth, by playing pleafantly and
fteadily with his bit, and by the fpray about his chaps. A
delicate and good hand will not only always preferve
a light appuij or bearing in its fenfibility, but alfo of a
heavy one, whether naturally fo or acquired, make a light
one. The lighter this appui can be made, the better-,
but the rider's hand muft correfpond with it : if it does
not, the more the horfe is properly prepared, fo much the
worfe for the rider. Inftances of this inconvenience of the
hcf}: of appui's J when the rider is not equally taught with
the horfe, may be feen every day in fome gentlemen, who
try to get their horfes bitted, as they call it, (which now
and then, though very rarely, they get done to fome de-
gree) without being fuitably prepared themfelves for ri-
ding them : the confequence of which is, that they ride
in danger of breaking their necks : 'till at length, after
much hauling about, and by the joint infenfibility and ig-

I norance

58 AMETHODOF

norance of themfelves and their grooms, the poor ani-
mals gradually become mere fenfelefs, unfeeling polls,
and thereby grow, what they call, fettled, and pleafant ;
that is to fay, in reality, tiiat they are grown as infenfi-
ble as their riders, who, becaufe they are void of feeling,
and are not firm, muft either hold by the bridle, or fall.
One perpetually hears people fay, they love a horfe, who
will let them bear a little on his mouth. Depend upon
it, thofe people are not only ignorant, and unfeeling, but
alfo very unfirm in their feat -, for if they were not, they
could not poffibly find either ufe, or eafe, in bearing a
dead weight on their horfes mouths. To help a horfe every
now and then, properly, is a very different, and a very
ufeful thing. When the proper appiii is found, and made
of courfe as light as pofTible, it mufl not be kept dully
fixed without any variation, but be played with; other-
wife one equally continued tenfion of reins, though not
a violent one, would render both the rider's hand, and
the horfe's mouth very dull. The flighteft, and frequent
giving, and taking is therefore necelTary to keep both
perfed.

•What-

BREAKING HORSES, &c. 59

Whatever pace or degree of qiiicknefs you work in, (be
it ever fo fall, or ever fo flow) it muft be cadenced ; time
is as neceffary for an horfeman, as for a mufician.

Every foldier muft be very well inftrucled in this leflbn of
the head and of the tail to the wall: fcarce any manoeuvre can
be well performed without it. In clofing and opening of files,
it is almoft every moment wanted. Few regimental riding-
mailers either pra6tife it right, teach it right, or know it
right, but afl by force only : and make the horfe look the
wrong way. It is a great detriment to the fervice, that
fo few of the teachers are inllrufled on true and ufeful prin-
ciples of horfemanlliip. This lelTon of the head, or croup
to the wall, ^c. and all others, may be done on any pace j
but, for the reafons given at the end of the fixth chapter,
I Ihall give no very full inllrucStions for them on a gallop
here, as the nature of army riding hardly permits foldiers
to be taught fo far with exadlnefs. If a horfe is well
taught on ever fo flow a pace, he may, by degrees,
without difficulty, be taught to do the fame leflbn
with any degree of velocity. When he does it on a gal-
lop, the rider mull be quiet, and exad in the changes, and

I % be

So AMETHODOF

be then careful to flop the horfe's leg, with which he
leads, juft at the time when it is mofl forward, before it
comes to the ground, by means of a flight tenfion of the
rein on the fame fide, which will ofcourfemake the other
leg go forward, and lead ; and, that the horfe may change
his hinder leg at the fame time, which is abfolutely ne-
ceflary, the rider miift at the fame time crofs over his hand,
(to the left, for example, in changing from the left to
the right) replacing it properly the moment the horfe has
changed both before and behind, which mufl be done
at ihe fame time.

g/tf^^"^ ird^^"' i^fy^"^ i>^

CHAP.

BREAKING HORSES, i^c. 6i

CHAP, V.

The Trot.

T FIE three different kinds of trot, the extended, the
fupple, and the even, or eqiml, (le determine ie delie^
(^ Vuni) are explained lb wonderfully mafterly, and ele-
gantly, in Monfieur Bourgelat's Notiveau NewcajlUy that
I can not omit giving here tlie chapter on trots of fo truly
admirable amafter, for v/hich I am obliged to Mr. Beren-
ger's tranflation of that excellent work,

" When a horfe trots, his legs are in this pofition, two
in the air, and two upon the ground, at the fame time
crofswife j that is to fay, the near foot before, and the off
foot behind are off the groundj and the other two upon
it, and fo alternately of the other two* This adion of
his legs is the fame as when he walks, except that in the
trot his motions are more quick. All writers, both an-
cient and modern, have conllantly afferted the trot to be
the foundation of every leffon you can teach a horfe : there

arc

62 AMETHODOF

are none, likewife, who have not thought proper to give
general rules upon this fubjed, but none have been exad
enough to defcend into a detail of particular rules, and
to diftinguifh fuch cafes as are different, and admit of ex-
ceptions, though fuch often are found from the different
make and tempers of horfes, as they happen to be more or
lefs fuited to what they are deftined ; fo that, by follow-
ing their general maxims, many horfes have been fpoiled,
and made heavy and aukward, inflead of becoming fup-
pie and adlive, and as much mifchief has been occafioned
by adopting their principles, although jufl, as if they
had been fuggefted by ignorance itfelf. Three qualities
are eflentially necelTary to make the trot ufeful. It ought
to be extended, fupple, and even, or equal. Thefe three
qualities are related to, and mutually depend upon each
other i in effeft, you cannot pafs to the fupple trot, with-
out having firft worked upon the extended trot j and you
can never arrive at the even and equal trot, without ha-
ving firfl: pradifed the fupple. I mean by the extended,
that trot, in which the horfe trots out without retaining
himfelf, being quite flrait, and going diredlly forwards ;
this cgnfequently is the kind of trot with which you muft

begin j

BREAKING HORSES, Csff. 63

begin ; for before any thing elfe fhould be thought of, the
horfe fliould be taught to embrace, and cover his ground
readily, and without fear* The trot however may be ex-
tended v/ithout being fupple, for the horfe may go di-
re6lly forward, and yet not have that eafe, and fupplenefs
of limb, which diftinguillies, and chara6terifes the fup-
ple. I define the fupple trot to be that, in which the horfe
at every motion that he makes, bends and plays all his
joints, that is to fay, thofe of his fhoulders, his knees,
and feet, which no colts or raw horfes can execute^ who
have not had their limbs fuppled by exercife, and who
generally trot with a furprizing ftiffnels, and aukwardnefsj
without the leail fpring or play in their joints* The even
or equal trot, is that wherein the horfe makes all his limbs
and joints move fo equally, and exaftly, that his legs ne-
ver cover more ground one than the other, nor at one time
more than another* To do this, the horfe mull of neccC^
fity unite and collect all his ftrength, and, if I may be al-
lowed the expreflion, diftribute it equally through all his
joints. To go from the extended trot to the fupple, you
muft gently> and by degrees hold in your horfe, and when
by exercife he has attained fufficient eafe and fupplenefs

to

64 AMETHODOF

to manage his limbs readily, you muft infenfibly hold hiri"^
in ftill more and more, and by degrees you will lead hin>
to the equal trot. The trot is the firfb exercife to which a
horfe is put ; this is a neceflfary iefibn, but, if given un-
IkilfuUy, it lofcs its end, and even does harm, Horfes
of a hot, and fretful temper, have generally too great a
difpofition to the extended trot ; never abandon thefe hor-
fes to their will, hold them in, pacify them, moderate
their motions by retaining them judiciouuy j their limbs
will grow fupple, and they will acquire at the fame time
that union and equality which is fo effenrialiy nccelTary.
If you have a horfe that is heavy, confider if this heayi-
nefs, or ftiffnefs of his fhoulders, or legs, is owing to a
want of flrength, or of fupplenefs -, whether it proceeds
from his having been exercifed unflcilfully, too much, or
too little. If he is heavy, becaufe the motions of his legs
and Ihoulders are naturally cold, and fluggifli, though at
the fame time his limbs are good, and his flrength is only
confined, and fliut up, if I may fo fay, a moderate, but
continual exercife of the trot will open and fupple his
joints, and render the aflion of his fhoulders and legs more
free, and bold 3 hold him in the hand, and fupport him

BREAKING HORSES, ^c, 6$

In his trot, but take care to do it fo as not to check, or
flacken his pace ; aid him, and drive him forward while
you fupport him ; remember at the fame time, that if he is
loaded with a great head, the continuation of the trot will
make his appui hard and dull, becaufe he will by this means
abandon himfelf ftill more, and weigh upon the hand.
All horfes that are inclined to be ramingue, that is to fay,
to retain themfelves, and to refill by fo doing, Ihould be
kept to the extended trot. Every horfe, who has a ten-
dency to be raminguej is naturally difpofed to unite him-
felf, and coUeft all his (trength -, your only way with fuch
horfes is to force them forward -, in the inftant that he o-
beys, and goes freely on, retain him a little, yield your
hand immediately after, and you will find foon that the
horfe of himfelf will bend his joints, and go united and
equally. A horfe of a fluggilh and cold difpofition, which
has neverthelefs ftrength and bottom, fhould likewife be
put to the extended trot. As he grows animated, and be-
gins to go free, keep him together by little and little, in
order to lead him infenfibly to the fupple trot : but if while
you keep him together, you perceive that he flackens his
adion, and retains himfelf, give him the aids brifkly,

K an

66 AMETHODOF

and piifh him forward, keeping him neverthelefs gentl/
in hand j by this means he will be taught to trot freely,
and equally at the fame time* If a horfe of a cold, and
fluggifh temper, is weak in his legs, and reins, you mud
manage him cautioufly in working him in the trot, o-
therwife you will enervate, and fpoil him. Befides, in
order to make the moft of a horfe who is not flrong, en-
deavour to give him wind, by working him Qowly, and
at intervals, and by encreafing the vigour of his exercife
by degrees ; for you muft remember, that you ought al-
ways to difmifs your horfe before he is fpent, and over-
come by fatigue ; never pufh your leffons too far, in
hopes of fuppling your horfe's limbs by the trot, inftead
of this you will falfify, and harden his appuii which is a
cafe that happens but too frequently. Farther, it is of
importance to remark, that you ought at no time, nei-
ther in the extended, fupple, or equal trot, to confine
your horfe in the hand, in expeftation of raifing him^ and
fixing his head in a proper place. If his appui be full in
hand, and the aflion of his trot Ihould be checked, and
reftrained by the power of the bridle, his bars would
very foon grow callous, and his mouth be hardened,

and

BREAKING HORSES, &c. 67

and dead j if, on the contrary, he has a fine, and fenfible
mouth, this very reftraint would offend, and make him
uneafy ; you mufl endeavour then, as has already been
faid, to give him by degrees, and infenfibly, the true
and juft appui, to place his head, and form his mouth by
Hops, and half-flops, by fometimes moderating and re-
ftraining him, with a gentle, and light hand, and yield-
ing it to him immediately again, and by fometimes let-
ting him trot without feeling the bridle at all. There is
a difference between horfes who are heavy in the hand, and
fuch as endeavour to force it : the firll fort lean, and
throw all their weight upon the hand, either as they hap-
pen to be weak, or too heavy, and clumfy in their fore-
parts, or from having their mouths too flefliy and grofs,
and confequently dull and infenfible : the fecond pull a-
gainft the hand, becaufe their bars are hard, lean, and ge-
nerally round : the firll may be brought to go equal, and
upon their haunches, by means of the trot, and llov/ gal-
lop ; and the other may be made light and ^(^tive- by art,
and by fettling them well in their trot, which will alfo
give them flrength, and vigour. Horfes of the firft fort
are generally fluggifh ; the other kind are, for the mofl

K 2 part.

68 AMETHODOF

part, impatient, and difobedient, and upon that very ac-
count more dangerous, and incorrigible. The only proof,
or rather the mofl certain fign of your horfe's trotting
well, is, that when he is in his trot, and you begin to
prefs him a little, he offers to gallop. After having trot-
ted your horfe fufficiently upon a ftrait line, or diredlly
forwards, work him upon circles, but before you put him
to this, walk him gently round the circle, that he may
apprehend and know the ground he is to go over. This
being done, work him in the trot. A horfe that is loaded
before, and heavily made, will find more pains and diffi-
culty in uniting his flrength, in order to be able to turn,
than in going ftrait forward. The a6tion of turning tries
the ftrength of his reins, and employs liis memory and
attention j therefore let one part of your lefTons be to trot
them ftrait forward : finifti them in the fame manner, ob-
ferving that the intervals between the ftops (which you
ftiould make very often) be long, or fhort, as you judge
necefTary. I fay, you fhould make frequent ftops, for
they often ferve as a corre6tion to horfes that abandon
themfelves, force the hand, or bear too much upon it
in their trot. There are fome horfes who are fupple in

their

BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 69

their flioulderSj but who neverthelefs abandon them-
felves, this fault is occafioned by the rider's having often
held his bridle hand too tight in working them upon large
circles j to remedy this, trot them upon one line or treadj
and very large -, ilop them often, keeping back your body
and outward leg, in order to make them bend and play
their haunches. The principal eifecls then of the trot
are to make a horfe light, and active, and to give him a
juil appiii. In reality, in this aflion he is always fupported
on one fide by one of his fore legSj^ and on the other by
one of his hind legs: now the fore and hind parts being
equally fupported crofswife, the rider cannot fail of fup-^
pling, and loofening his limbs, and fixing his head -, but
if the trot difpofes, and prepares the fpirits and motions
of a finewy and aitive horfe for the juflell lefTons, if it
calls out and unfolds the powers, and ftrength of the a-
nimal, which before were buried, and Ihut up, if I may
ufe the expreflion, in the ftiffnefs of his joints and limbs ',
if this firft exercife, to which you put your horfe, is the
foundation of all the different airs, and maneges, it ought
to be given in proportion to the ftrength and vigour of the
horfe. To judge of this, you mull go farther than mere out-

v/ard

70 AMETHODOF

ward appearances. A horfe may be but weak in the reins,
and yet execute fome air, and accompany it with- vigour,
as long as his ftrength is united and entire; but if he bo-
comes difunited, by having been worked beyond his abi-
lity in the trot, he will then faulter in his air, and perform
it without vigour or grace. There are alfo fome horfes
who are very ftrong in the loins, but who are weak in
their limbs; thefe are apt to retain themfelves, they bend,
and fink in their trot, and go as if they were afraid of hurt-
ing their flioulders, their legs or feet. This irrefolution
proceeds only from a natural fenfe they have of their weak-
nefs. This kind of horfes fhould not be too much exer-
cifed in the trot, nor have fharp corredlion ; their fhoul-
ders, legs, or hocks, would be weakened and injured; fo
that learning in a little time to hang back, and abandon
themfelves on the appui^ they would never be able to fur-
nifh any air with vigour, and juftnefs. Let every leflbn
then be well weighed ; the only method by which fuccefs
can be infured, is the difcretion you fhall ufe in giving *•
them in proportion to the ftrength of the horfe, and from
your fagacity in deciding upon what air or manege is moft
proper for him, to which you muft be direfted by obferving
which feems moft fuited to his inclination and capacity.

CHAP.

BREAKING HORSES, ^c. ^1

CHAP. VL

I'he jnethod of reining back — and of moving forwards imr/ie-
diately after— of piaffing— -of pilar Si ^c.—of moving
pillarSi l^c.

SOMETHING having already been faidj in the chapter
of fuppling, &c. upon the fubjeft of reining back,
there will not be occafion to dwell much upon it here, as
the reader may have recourfe to that chapter^ Horfes, par-
ticularly fuch as are never put in the pillars, nor taught '
to piaffe, fhould be reined back a good deal, fometimes'
flow, fometimes faff, and always without confufion, both
in hand, and when rode* Never finifh your work by rein-
ing back, efpecially with horfes that have any difpofition
towards retaining themfelves ; but always move them for- -
wards, and a little upon the haunches alfo after it, before '
you difmount j unlefs they retain themfelves very much
indeed, in which cafe nothing at all muft be demanded
from the haunches, but, quite the contrary, they muft im- '
mediately be trotted hard out. This leffon of reining

back.

72 AMETPIODOF

back, and piaffing, is excellent to conclude with, andputs^
a horfe well and properly on the haunches : the head and
fore-parts muft be kept high, and free, for any con-
finement there dellroys aftion. To bend the horfes fome-
times in doing it, is a good lefTon. It may be done, ac-
cording as horfes are more or lefs fuppled, either going
forwards, backing, or in the fame place : if 'tis done well
advancing, or at mofl, on the fame fpot, it is full fufficient
for a foldier's horfe : for to piaffe in backing, is rather too
much to be expedted in the hurry, which cannot but at-
tend fuch numbers both of men and horfes, as mufl be
taught together in regiments. This leffon mufl never be
attempted at all, 'till horfes are very well fuppled, and
fomewhat accullomed to be put together ; otherwife it
will have very bad confequences, and create reftivenefs :
infallibly fo, if not praftifed with the utmofl exaftnefs
and delicacy J and principally with horfes, that have the
leaft tendency to retain, or to defend themfelves. If they
refufe to back, and fland motionlefs, the rider's legs mufl
be approached with the greatefl gentlenefs to the horfe's
fides i at the fame time as the hand is adling on the reins
to folicit the horfe's backing. This feldom fails of pro-
curing

BREAKING HORSES, ^c 73

Curing the defired effe6l, by raifing one of the horfe's fore
legs, which being in the air, has no v/ei^-ht upon ir, and
is confequently very eafily brought backwards by z. firiall
degree of tenfion in the reins. When this lefTon of pis.ffing
is well performed, it is very noble, and ufeful, and has a
pleafing air; it is an excellent one to begin teaching fcho-
lars with. In regiments, at their firft being raifed, v/hen
ail horfes are brought in young and ravv-, there can of
courfe be no horfes ready prepared in it for this purpofe i
but a litle tim.e and diligence remedies this inconvenience.

The leflbn, we are Ipeaking of, is particularly ferviceable
in the pillars, for placing fcholars well at firfl. Very few
regimental riding-houfes have pillars, and I m.ufti fay, that
it is fortunate they have notj for though, when properly
made ufe of with flcill, they are one of the greateft and
bell difcoveries in horfemanfliip, they muft be allowed to
be very dangerous and pernicious, when they are not un-
der the dire6lion of a very knowing perfon. Upon the
whole, however highly I approve of pillars, I would on no
account admit of any, unlefs conftantly under the eye and
attention of a very intelligent teacher 3 which is a thing

L 'a

;4 A METHOD OF

fo difficult to be found in regiments, that I think pillars
are better banifhed from amongfb them, and therefore fhall
fay no more here of what I efleem neverthelefs fo much.
As for the fingle pillar, ufed in the manner it formerly was^
it is a very ufelefs and ridiculous thing -, and being, as I
hope and believe, univerfally laid afide, I think it not
worth making further mention of here. Moving pillars
are exempt from thofe inconveniences which attend fixed
Ones, and I therefore recommend them for army ridings
By moving pillars, I underftand a horfe held by a rein on
each fide, by a man on each fide of him : another per-
fon with a chambriere follows, animates, or fooths him, as
he finds necefTary^ and makes him piaffe backwards, or
forwards, with, or without long reins, as is found expedi-
ent. When the long reins, or firings are ufed, or rather
the long firing or rein, (for one is generally fufficient) it
mufl be fixed on the fide the horfe is to be bent t this firing
is fixed to the faddle, and goes through the eye of the fnaf-
fle, and alfo through a ring on the head-flail, if the horfe
is apt to get his head low : one man, befides the one who
holds the chambriere, is fufficient in this cafe : the horfe is
bent to the right, or left^ or kept wholly ftrait. This me-

tho4

BREAKING HORSES, ^c 75

thod is particularly ufeful for horfes whofe adlion of their
hinder legs is confined, and wants liberty ; the fame rule
will hold good for all horfes fo circumftanced in all they
do } for they fhould always be worked boldly out on large
fcales, and never confined to fmall figures. A horfe looks
remarkably well in this attitude, if thofe who hold him
have light hands, and keep his head high : they Ihould
each of them have a fwitch, to help them to keep the horfe
ftraight, in cafe of neceffity. This lefTon may be very well
done by one man alone, with long reins (as in Plat^ 10.)

It would fcarce be poffible (neither is it indeed neceflary)
to teach the more refined and difficult parts of horfemian-
fhip to all the different kinds, and difpofitions, both of men
and horfes, which are in all regiments; or to find the time
and attention requifite for it to fuch numbers ; but I yet
hope fome proper inflitution will be formed, to make good
riding-maflers, farriers, fadlers, and gun-fmiths, and every
thing elfe neceffary for the army, upon a good, and proper
footing : they are abfolutely neceffary, and fhould be pro-
perly and equally divided through the regiment, in the
fquadrons and troops. There Ihould be one riding-malter

L 2 in

76 A METHOD OF

in chief, v/ith a fulticient number of under ones under him,
and formed by him : he fhould infped the work of the
others very frequently, and give lelTons by turns to the
whole regiment, going about from one quarter to another,
if the regiment is feparated : he fhould break too the offi-
cers hoifes, or rather teach them to do it themfelves, who,
I am forry to Vd.j it, fland at prefent, in general, in the
greatefl need of inflTu6tions, — no people more : they
fhould, therefore, and for the fake of creating emulation
too in the men by their example, always attend the ridings
mailer regularly two or three times a week, at leafl. I
muil urge the necefTity of forming by reading, and feri-
ous ftudy, as well as by much conilant praftice, proper
riding-maflers for the army ; though I am thoroughly ap-
prized, as the celebrated Mr. Bourgelat obferves, that
an ill-f unded prejudice partially dire6ts the judgment of
the greater part of thofe people, who call themfelves co-
noiifeurs. I know full well that they fuppofe that practice
alone can infure perfedlion, and that in their arguments in
favour of this their deplorable fyflem, they rejefl with fcorn
all books, and authors : but Equitation is confefTedly a fci-
^ncci every fcience is founded upon principles^, and theory

mufl

BREAKING HORSES, i^c. 77

mufl indifpenfably be neceflary, becaufe what is truly juft
and beautiful can not depend upon chance. What in-
deed is to be expe6ted from a man, who has no other guide
than a long continued practice, and who muft of necef-
fity labour under very great uncertainties ! Incapable of
accounting rationally for what he does, it muft be impof-
fible for him to enlighten me, or communicate to me the
knov/ledge which he fancies himfelf poffefled of. How
then can I look upon fuch a man as a mafter ? On the other
hand, what advantages may I not obtain from the inftruc-
tions of a perfon, whom theory enables to comprehend
and feel the effedls of his flighteft operations, and who can
explain to me fuch principles, as an age of conftant prac-
tice only could never put me into a way of acquiring ?
Equitation does, to be fure, require alfo a conftant, and
an aftiduous exercife. Elabit, and continual practice
will go a great way in all exercifes, which depend on the
mechanifm of the body, but, unlefs this mechanifm is
properly fixed, and fupported on the folid bafis of theory,
errors will be the inevitable confequence. In working a
horfe, a principal obje6t fhould be to exercife the genius,
-and memory of the animal, as well as his body. You

ihould

78 A METHOD OF

ihould endeavour to difcover his natural inclination, and
to get a thorough knowledge of his abilities, in order to
take advantage in future of that knov/ledge. Without the
help of lights derived from juft principles, it is morally
impofllble that a horfeman fhould make ufe of his reafon
upon all occailons, or be able to find out, with care and
attention, whatever may conduct him to the end aad ob-r
je6l of his hopes, defires, and undertakings ; becaufe, ini
few words, there is an abfolute neceffity of fome method
for improving the natural difpofition of the animal, which
is in fome cafes defedtive and intra6table. The confe-
quences of the falfe, and prejudicial fyftem, which I am
oppofing, juftify my aflertions. The knowledge of a
horfe is vulgarly thought fo familiar, and the means or
drefllng him fo general, and fo common, that you can
hardly meet with a man, who does not flatter himfelf, that
he has fucceeded in both points j and while mailers, who
facrifice every hour of their life to attain knowledge, ftilf
find themfelves immerged in darknefs and obfcurity, men
the moft uninformed imagine, that they have attained the
fummit of perfedlion, and in confequence thereof fupprefs
the leaft inclination of learning even the firfl elements.

A

BREAKING HORSES, &c. 7«>

A blind, and boundlefs prefumption is the charafberiflic
of ignorance j the fruits of long ftudy, and application
amount to a difcovery of innumerable frefh difficulties, at
the fight of which a diligent man, very far from over-
rating his own merit> redoubles his eiforts in purfuit of
further knowledgCe

CHAP.

8o AMETHODOF

CHAP. VII.

^he method of teaching horjes to Jtandfire, noifeSj alarms j fights j
&c. — of preventing their lying down in the water— to fiand
quiet to be fhot off from — to go over rough and bad ground
— to leap hedges, gates, ditches, i^c. flanding and flying —
to difregard dead horfes — to fwim, &c.

IN order to make horfes Hand fire, the found of drums,
and all forts of different noifes, you mufl ufe them to
it by degrees in the ftable at feeding-time j and inftead
of being frightened at it, they will foon come to like it,
as a fignal for eating.

With regard to fuch horfes as are afraid of burning ob-
je6ts, begin by keeping them ftill at a certain diilance from
fome lighted ftraw : carefs the horfe, and in proportion
as his fright diminifhes, approach gradually the burning
ftraw very gently, and increafe the fize of it. By this
means he will very quickly be brought to be fo familiar
with it, as to walk undaunted even through it. The

fame

BREAKING HORSES^ £5?r. 8i

fame method and gentlenefs muft be obferved alfo, in
regard to glittering arms, colours, ftandards, &c.

As to horfes that are apt to lie down in the wafer, if
animating them, and attacking them vigoroiifly, fhould
fail of the defired effect, (which feldom is the cafe) then
break a ftraw-bottle full of v/ater upon their heads, the
moment they begin to lie down, and let the water run
into their ears, which is a thing they apprehend very much,
and which will in all probability foon cure them of the
trick.

All troop-horfes mufl be taught to Hand quiet and
ftill when they are fhot off from, to flop the moment
you prefent, and not to move after firing, 'till they are
required to do it : this leffon ought efpecially to be ob-
ferved in light troops, and it fhould never be neglected
in any kind of cavalry whatfoever : in fhort, the horfes
muft be taught to be fo cool and undiflurbed, as to fuffer
the riders to a6l upon them with the fame freedom, as
if they were on foot. Patience, coolnefs, and temper,
are the only means requifite for accomplifliing this end.

M The.

g2 AMETHODOF

The rider, when he fires, miift be very attentive not to
throw himfelf forwards too much, or otherwife derange
himfelf in his feat. Begin by walking the horfe gently,
then Hop and keep him from flirring for fome time, fo
as to accuftom him by degrees not to have the leall idea
of moving without orders : if he does, back him 3 and
when you flop him, and he is quite ftill, leave the reins
quite loofe, and carefs him.

To ufe a horfe to fire-arms, firft put a piftol or carbine
in the manger with his feed j then ufe him to the found
of the lock and the pan j after which, when you are upon
him, Ihew the piece to him, prefenting it forwards, fome-
times on one fide, fometimes on the other: when he is thus
far reconciled, proceed to flalh in the pan \ after which,
put a fmall charge into the piece, and lb continue aug-
menting it by degrees to the quantity which is commonly
ufed : if he feems uneafy, walk him forwards a few fleps
flowly, and then ftop, back, move forwards, then flop a-
gain, and carefs him. Great care muft be taken not to
burn, or finge the horfe any where in firing j he would
remember it, and be very fhy, for a long time. Horfes

are

BREAKING MORSES, t^c. ^3

are alfo often difquieted and unfteady at the clalh and glit^
tering of arms, at the drawing and returning of fwords,
^11 which they muft be familiarized to by little and little,
by frequency and gentlenefs.

In going over rough and bad ground, the men muft keep
their hands high, and their bodies back.

It is very expedient for all cavalry, in general, but par-
ticularly for light cavalry, that their horfes fliould be very
ready and expert in leaping over ditches, hedges, gates,
dec. not only Ungly but in fquadrons, and lines. The-
leaps, of whatever fort they are, wliich the horfes are
brought to in the beginning, ought to be very fmall ones,
and as the horfe improves in his leaping, be augmented by
degrees ; for if the leaps were encreafed confiderably at
once, the horfe would blunder, grow fearful, and contra6t
an aukward way of leaping v/ith hurry, and confufion.
The riders muft keep their bodies back, raife their hand a
little in order to help the fore-parts of the horfe up, and-
be very attentive to their equilibre, without raifing them-
felves up in the faddle, or moving their arms. The fureft
way to prevent people, in leaping over any thing, from rai-

M 2 ling

$4 AMETHODOF

fing up their arms and elbows, (which is an unfirm, and un-
graceful motion) is to make them put a hand whip, or
fwitch, under each arm, and not let them drop. *Tis
beft to begin at a low bar covered with furze, (Plate 1 5 .q,,)
which pricking the horfe's legs, if he does not raife him^
felf fufiiciently, prevents his contradling a fluggiih and
dangerous habit of touching, as he goes over, which any
thing yielding, and not pricking, would give him a cuf-,
torn of doing. Many horfes, in learning to leap, are apt
to come too near, and in a manner with their feet under
the bar. The beft way to prevent their doing fo, is to
place under the bar two planks of the breadth of the pil-
lars on which the leaping bar is fixed ; thefe planks muft
meet and join at top under tlie bar, about two feet high
from the ground, (Plate 15 .+.) and projedl at bottom upon
the ground, about two feet ; they mull be Itrongly framed,
that the horfe may not break them, by touching them with
his feet, The bar (hould be placed fo as to run round,
when touched, Let the ditches and hedges, &c. you firft
tiring horfes to, be inconfiderable, and in this, as in every
thing elfe, let the increafe be made by degrees. Accuf-
^om them to come up gently to every thing, which they

BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 85

are to leap over, and to fland coolly at it for fome time j
and then to raife themfelves gently up, and go clear over
it, without either floth or liurry. When they leap well
Handing, (Plate 11 and 13.) then ufe them to walk gently
up to the leap, and to go over it without firfl halting at
it i and after that pra6tice is familiar to them, repeat the
like in a gentle trot, and fo by degrees fafter and faller,
'till at length it is as familiar to them to leap flying on
a full gallop, (Plate 12 and 14.) as any other ways
all which is to be acquired with great facility by calm and
fbft means, without any hurry.

As horfes are naturally apt to be frightened at the fight
and fmell of dead horfes, numbers of which are every mo-
ment met with on fervice, (efpecially at the latter end of
the year, when the roads are bad, and the poor animals, too
often treated and driven cruelly, go a great way from camp
for forage) it is advifeable to habituate them to walk over,
and leap over carcafes of dead horfes j and as they are par-
ticularly terrified at this fight, the greater gentlenefs ought
conTequently to be ufed in breaking them of their dread

of it.

. . Horfes

86 AMETHODOF

Horfes fhould alfo be accuftomed to fwim, which often
tnay be necefTary upon fervice ; and if the men and horfes
both are not ufed to it, both may be frequently liable to
perifh in the water. A very fmall portion of flrength is
fufficient to guide a horfe, any where indeed, but parti-
ticularly in the water, where they muft be permitted to
have their heads, and be as little conllrained as pofiible in
any fhape. In crofllng rivers, the horfe's head fhould be
kept againll the current, more or lefs, according to the
fituation of the place, higher up, or lower down, pur-
pofed to land at, and the degree of rapidity of the water.
In going down the ftream, the flraighter the horfe is the
better. The rider had always better quit his flirrups on
thefe occafions, for fear of accidents, and his getting en-
tangled in them. A horfe is turned difficultly in the wa-
ter j it mult be done very gently and carefully. For
partizans, and all who go chiefly on reconnoitring duty,
horfes Ihould be chofen, who are not apt to neigh : the
Numidians preferred mares to horfes, for furprizes on the
enemy, becaufe, being lefs apt to neigh, they were lefs
likely to be difcovered. Thofe of the whole army fhould
be taught to be obedient to the voice, and to carry dou-
ble.

BREAKING HORSES, &c. 8.7

ble. Reins may be cut in battle ; and in crolTing waters,
and upon forced marciies, it may fometimes be neceflary
to take the infantry ("en croupe) up behind. The ancient
Lybians diredled their horfes in battle by the voice ; and
the fame cuflom prevails amongft them to this day, for the
modern Africans do the fame.

The heavy cavalry may pofTibly obje6b to having their
large horfes taught all thefe feveral exercifes j but thougli
they are not, nor can indeed be expe6hed to perform all,
with the fame a6livity and velocity, as light troops do,
yet 'tis abfolutely necefTary, that they fliould be taught
them all ; for 'tis a melancholy confideration, that any
trifling obflacle fliould prevent fo ufeful and powerful a
body from ading. I cannot take upon me to fay, whe-
ther it was always fo in former times, or not : the ancients,
I believe^ underftood horfemanfliip more than we are aware
of: there is a great deal of good fenfe in Xenophon's m.e-
thod' of forming horfes for war j after him, horfemanlhip
Was burled for ages, or rather brutalifed, which is ftiU too
much the cafe.

CHAP.

Zn AMETHODOF

CHAP. VIII.

'The method of curing rejihenejfesy vices, defences y ftartingy and
flumblingy ^c.

BEFORE any mention is made of the different kinds of
reftivenefles, vices, and defences, Sec. it is not amifs to
obferve, that a horfe's being good or ill-natured greatly
depends on the temper of the perfon, that is put about
him, efpecially at firftj and confequently one cannot be
too careful and watchful in this point.

Whenever a horfe makes refiflance, one ought, before
a remedy or correction is thought of, to examine very mi-
nutely all the tackle about him, if any thing hurts or tic-
kles him, whether he has any natural or accidental weak-
nefs, or in fhort any the leaft impediment in any part. For
want of this precaution, and previous infpedtion, many fa-
tal, and often irreparable difafters happen : the poor dumb
animal is frequently accufed falfely of being reflive and
vicious; is ufed ill without reafon, and being forced into

delpair.

BREAKING HORSES, i^c, 89

defpalr, is, in a manner, obliged to att accordingly, be his
temper and inclination ever fo well difpofed. It mud ne-
ver be forgot, that it is necelTary to vv^ork on the minds of
horfes, at firfi: by flow motions which give them tim.e to
reflect. By degrees every thing may be done mofl: rapidly
with eafc and very well. Such is in general, unlefs fpoilt
by us, the good tem.per, docility, and obedience of a horfe,
that almofi any thing may be done with him by good-na-
ture, and fcience. Even the domefl:ic, worthy, friendly
dog is not more fufceptible of education.

A horfe that is vicious and alfo fo weak, that there are
no hopes of his growing flironger, is a mofl: deplorable
beafl:, and not worth any one's care or trouble : 'tis
very feldom, (I was near faying, never) the cafe, that a
horfe is really, and by nature vicious; but if fuch be found,
chafl:ifem.ents will become neceffary fometimes, but they
muft: then be always made ufe of with the greateft judg-
ment, and temper. The propriety of aids is to forefee,
and prevent faults. The propriety of chafliifements is to
corre^b them.

N CorrefLion

9^ AMETHODOF

Correflion, according as you life it, tkrows a horie into
more or lefs violent a(5tion> wliich, if he be weakj he caa-
not fupport: but a vicious fcrong horle is to' be confidered
in a very different light, being able both to undergo and
confequently to profit by all lefTons; and is, in every ref-
peft, far preferable to the befb-natured weak one upon
earth. Patience and fcience are never-failing means to
reclaim a wicked horfe: in whatfoever manner he defends
himfelf, bring him back frequently with gentlenefs, but
with firmnefs too, to the lefTcn which he f^ems moft averfe
to, Horfes are by degrees mads obedient through the
hope of recompence and the fear of punifnment : how to
mix thefe two motives judicioufly together is a very dif-
ficult matter, not eafy to be prefcribedj it requires much
thought and praftice; and not only a good head, but a
good heart likewife. The cooled, and beft-natured rider,
ceteris paribiiSy will always fucceed bell. By a dextrous
ufe of the incitements above-mentioned you will gradually
bring the horfe to temper and obedience j mere force and
want of fkill and of coolnefs would only tend to confirm
him in bad tricks. If he be impatient or choleric, never
flrike him, unlefs he abfolutely refufes to go forwards,

which

BREAKING HORSES, 6?<r. 91

which you mufc refolutely oblige him to do, and which
will be of itfelf a correftion, by preventing his having
time to meditate, and put in execution any defence by re-
taining himfelf. Refiftance in hcrfes, you muii coniider,
is fometimes a mark of fcrength rjid vigour, and proceeds
from fpirits, as well as fometimes from vice and weaknefs.
Weaknefs frequently drives horfes into vicioufnefs, when
any thing, wherein ftrength is neceffary, is demanded fi'cm
them i nay, it inevitably muft: great care therefore lliould
always be taken to difcinguifh from which of thefe tv/o cau-
fes, that are evidently fo different, the defence arifes, be-
fore any remedy or punifnment is thought of. It may
fometimes be a bad fign, when horfes do not at all defend
themifelves, and proceed from, a i^r.ggifn difpofiticn, a want
of fpirit, and of a proper fe^^bilit}^ Whenever one is fo
fortunate as to meet witli a horfc cf juft the right fpirit,
adivity, delicacy of feeling, with firength, and good-
nature, he cannot be cheriflied too m.uch j for fuch a one
is a rare and ineflimxable jewel, and if properly treated,
will, in a manner, do every thing of himfelf. Horfes are
oftener fpoilt by having too much done to tiism, and by
attempts to drefs them in too great a hurry, than by any

other treatment.

N 2

92 AMETHODOF

If after a horfe has been well fuppled, and there are no
impediments, either natural or accidental, if he ftill per-
fifls to defend himfelf, chaftifements then become neceffary:
but whenever this is the cafe, they mufl not be frequent,
but always firm, though always as little violent, as pof-
fible : for they are both dangerous and very prejudicial,
when frequently or flightly played with; and P.ill more fo,
when ufed too violently. When a rider quarrels with his
horfe, he is generally the dupe of his pafsion, and the fray
commonly ends to his difadvantage. Whenever you fee a
man beating any animal, you will almoil always find, that
the man is in the v/rong, and the anim.al in the right.

'Tis impofsible in general, to be too circumfpe6b in lef-
fons of all kinds, in aids, chaftifements or carefTes; for as the
great Duke of Newcaflle obferves, if any man was in the
form of a horfe, he could not invent with more art than
fome horfes do, fchemes to oppofe what is required of him.
Some have quicker parts, and more cunning, than others.
Many will imperceptibly gain a little every day on their ri-
der. Various in Ihort are their difpofitions, and capacities.
It is the rider's bufinefs to find out their different qualities.

BREAKING HORSES, (^c, . 9^

and to make them fenfible how much he loves tliem, and
defires to be loved by them, but at the fame time, that he
does not fear them, and will be mailer. A good natured
clever man may with the greateft eafe teach a horfe any
thing ; more tricks even of all kinds, than dogs are feen to
perform at fairs. Plunging is a very common defence a-
mong reftive and vicious horfes : if they do it in the fame
place or backing, they mufl by the rider's legs, and fpurs
too fometimes firmly applied, be obliged to go forwards,
and their heads kept up high. But if they do it flying for-
wards, keep them back, ride them gently and very flow for
a good while together, and back them gently every now and
then. Of all bad tem.pers and qualities in horfes, thofe,
which are occafioned by harfli treatment and ignorant ^iders^^
which are ver)' common, are the worfl.

Rearing is a bad vice, and in weak horfes efpecially, a
very dangerous one. Whilfl: the horfe is up, the rider mufl
yield his hand, and when the horfe is defcending he mufl vi-
goroufly determine him forwards by approaching his legs
to the horfe's fides : if this be done at any other time, but
whilft the horfe is coming down, it may add a fpring to his

rearing.

94 AMETHODOF

rearing and make him fall backwards. With a good hand on
them, horfes feldom perfift in this vice -, for they are them-
felves naturally much afraid of falling backwards. If this
method, which I have mentioned, fiiils, (which it fcarcely
ever will) you mud m.ake the horfe kick up behind, by get-
ting fomebody on foot to flrike him behind with a whip i
or, if that will not eiFe6t it, by pricking him with a goad.

Starting often proceeds from a defed in the fight, which
therefore muft be carefully looked into. Whatever the
horfe is afraid of, bring him up to it gently j if you carefs
him every ftep he advances, he will go quite up to it by
degrees, and foon grow familiar with all forts of objeds.
Nothing but great gentlenefs can corred this fault : for if
you inflid punifhment, the apprehenfion of chaflifement
becomes prevalent, and caufes more flarting, than the fear
oftheobjedl. If you let him go by the objed, without
bringing him up to it, you increafe the fault and confirm
him in his fear : the confequence of which is, he takes his
rider perhaps a quite contrary way from what he was going,
becomes his mafter, and puts himfelf and the perfon upon
him, every moment in great danger. I have fo often heard
people maintain, fome, that blows are neceffary to cure

this

BREAKING HORSES, ^u ^^

iliis evil ; and others, that horfes fhoiild be fuffered to have
their own way in it^ that I could not help faying a few
Words upon this fubjecc, (though it fpeaks for itfelf ) to con-
vince thofe, who, as my ingenious friend Mr. Bourgelat
fays, argumenteni de cesjyftemes de^lorahles^

Quarrelling With horfesj plaguing, or berltihg them, as
bne often fees done, not only fpoils both their tempers, and
their paces, but it teaches them to trip, ftumble, fail. Hart,
run away, and to be unHeady- and vicious, &:c. whiifb gen-
tlenefs and coolnefs would very foon bring them to go
through, or over any bad place v/hatfoever, with eafe,
good-humour and fafetyi Beat a horfe for a trip, or fuch
a kind of thing, and he will foon do it again through fear
and hurry. Such failures fometimes proceed from weak-
nefs. In that cafe, proper food, and gentle exercife, by
reftoring the animal to health, and vigour, will cure him
of them* If they come from inattention, or from the bad-
nefs of his paces, he muft have a good rider to render him
attentive, and mend his movements. All other remedies
will prove fruitlefs, but thefe will notj uniefs fome natural
defedls, or acquired hurts, fuch as lamenefs, or bad weak-
ening diftempers interfere. Many

96 AMETHODOF

Many troop horfes, and particularly old ones, often do
(lot chufe to leave their companions. They fhould there-
fore be ufed early, and frequently to leave their ranks fingly.

With fuch horfes, as are to a very great degree fearful
of any objecbs, make a quiet horfe, by going before them,
gradually entice them to approach nearer and nearer to the
thing they are afraid of. If the horfe, thus alarmed, be
undifciplined and headftrong, he will probably run av/ay
with his riders and if fo, his head muft be kept up high,
and the fnaffle fawed backwards and forwards from right
to left, taking up and yielding the reins of it, as alfo the
reins of the bit : but this latter muft not be fawed back-
wards and forwards, like the fnaffie, but only taken up,
a.nd yielded properly. No m^an ever yet did, or ever will
ftop a horfe, or gain any one point over him by main
force, or violence, or by pulling a dead wei<^ht againft him.

Upon horfes, who have a trick of turning Ihort about
fuddenly, to the right for example, feperate the reins, tak-
ing one in each hand : leave the right one quite loofe,
and pull the left one, ftretching out your hand from the
horfe to the left, and forwards. If the horfe ftill refifts,
ufe your left leg, and fpur; and fo vice verfd^ 'till he turns
to the left, CHAP,

BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 97

CHAP IX.

Several remarks and hints on Jhoeingy feedings management of
horjes, i^c. ^c.

Do not by any means intend to enter here largely on the
many fyftems of llioeing j it would enlarge this treatife
too much, and extend the objedl of it beyond the bounds
I have prefcribed to it, and to myfelf : as feet differ, fo
Ihould fhoes accordingly, but as it happens unfortunately
for us, that the farriers belonging to the army, for want
of proper education, due inlpeclion, and encouragement,
are void of all real Ikill, and knowledge in their profefTion,
and have minds, in fhort, quite uncultivated, it is abfo-
lutely necefiary to lay down only fuch rules, as are plain,
general and invariable, and the flrifteft difcipline muft be
enforced to make them all obferved and followed mofc re-
ligiously. I do not hov/ever defpair of feeing in time fome
intelligent farriers properly inllrudedj and when fuch are
formed, and not 'till then, the number of them in regi-
ments lliould be increafed : It would even be much better
to have none at all, 'till fuch a reformation is brought a-

O bout

9^ A METHOD OF

bout. One man cannot properly Ihoe more than forty hor-
fes; at prefent we have only one to a troop of fifty- five,
in time of war, befides bat-horfes, and all others belong-
ing to officers, futlers, carriages, fervants, &c. There
fhduld alfo be one forge-cart at leafl appropriated to each
fqiiadron, and a third for the latter-mentioned purpofes ;
but they muft not be like our prefent ones, which are
made fo heavy and with fuch low wheels, tliat they em-
ploy a great number of horfes, ruin m.oft of them, and
after all, feldom get up to their reflective regiments in
right time, even in good roads, and never in bad ones.
And I may fay, that 'tis lucky they do not, for upon ex-
perience one finds fewer horfes lame, during tlie abfence
^^ of farriers, than when they are prefent. They fliould be
built upon two wheels only, and thofe very high : The
cart mufl be covered, and have partitions in it for the
forge, bellows, tools, charcoal, &c. All thefe things muft
be fo contrived, as to be eafily taken out of the cart, and
worked on the ground. This fort of forge-cart never flicks,
and is always able to keep up with the regiments on any
marches : it requires but few horfes, and fpoils none. I
have one for my own ufe, made by the Hanoverian train,

■which

BREAKING HORSES, GV. p^

which is drawn eafily by two horfes. For regiments, the
carts miifl: be fomewhat larger, and more fubfiantial, and
would require three horfes. I doubt not, but an Engliili
workman would improve upon tliem, as to ftrength a.nd
lightnefo, as well as convenience ; tho' the cart I have, is
very vv'ell conflrufted, and anfwers well every neceffary

purpofe.

Piiyfic and a butteris in well-informed hands would not
be fatal; but in the manner we are now provided with far-
riers, they muiL be quite banifned. Whoever lets his far.ier,
groom, or coachm.an, ever even mention any thing more
than water-gruel, a clyfter, or a little bleeding, and that
too very feldom -, or pretend to talk of the nature of feet,
of tiie feat of lamenefTes, fickneiles, or their cures, may
be certain to find himfelf very Iliortly, and very abfiirdly,
quite on foot. It is incredible what tricking knaves mod
ftable-people are, and what daring attempts they will
make to gain an afcendant over their mafbers, in order to
have their own fooiilh projeits complied with. In fnoe^
ing, for exarnple, I have more than once known, that for
the fake of eftabliihing their own ridiculous and pernici-

O 2 ' CU3

too A METHOD Oh

ous fyflcm, when their mafters have QilTered from ic, t^xy
have, on purpofe, lamed horfes, and imputed the fault to
the fhoes, after having in vain tried, by every fort of in-
vention and lies, to difcredit the ufe of them. .How can
the method of fuch people be commendable, v/hofe argu-
ments, as well as praflice, are void of common kn{e ? If
your horfe's foot be bad and brittle, they advik you to
cover it with a very heavy Ihoej the confequence of which
proceeding is evident : for how fhould the foot, which be-
fore could fcarce carry itfelf, be able afterwards to carry
fuch an additional weight, which is fluck on moreover
with a multitude of nails, the holes of which tear and
weaken the hoof? If the foot is cut or hurt, one doflof
fays, load it, by way of cover, with all you can : his con-
ceited opponent as wifely counfels you to let the horfe
walk bare upon the fore. The only fyltem all thefe fim-
pletons feem to agree in, is to flioe in general with excef-
five heavy, and clumfy ill-fhaped Ihoes and very many
nails, to the total deIlru6lion of the foot. The cramps
they annex, tend to deftroy the bullet, and the fhoes
made in the Ihape of a walnut-lhell, prevent the horfe'i

walking

BREAKING HORSES, ^c. t6i

Waikinz upon the firm bafis, which nature has given him
for that end, thereby oblige him to flumble and fall, and
of conrfe from their fhape tear out the nails and ruin the
hoof. Feet once got thoroughly out of Hiape, by the cat
walnut--fhell, or other ill-fhaped fhoes, are fometimes irreco*
Verable, and almoft always very difficult to correil:; for horn
being of a flexible nature, by being confined in a mould,
will retain the fhape imprcifed upon it by a bad fnaped
flioe, which never admits of the natural tread of the foot.
The bell way, when a horfe is thus circumftanced, is to
pare his feet down almoit to the quick, and fiiort at thg
toe, and to turn him out without fhoes into fome foft grafs
ground 'till the feet grow again before he is fliod. They
totally pare away alfo, and lay bare the infide of the a-
nimal's foot with their deteflible butteris, which m.uft
caufe narrow heels, becaufe the hard outfide of the foot
will of courfe prefs in, when it finds no refinance, the in-
fide being cut away, and they afterwards put on very long
Ihoes, whereby the foot is hindered from having any pref-
fure at all upon the heels, which prefTure otherwife might
ftiil perchance, notwithftanding their dreadful cutting, keep
the heels properly open, and the foot in good order. The

frog

102 A M E T H O D O F

frog flioiild never bec\itoutj but as it will fometimes
become ragged, it muft be cleaned every now and tnen,
and the ragged pieces cut olT v/ith a knife. In one kind
of foot indeed a confiderable cutting av/ay mud be allov/-
ed of, but not of the frog ; I mean that very high feet
mufl be cut down to a proper height; becaufe if they were
not, the frog, tho' not cut, would dill be fo far above
the ground, as not to have any bearing on it, whereby
die great tendon muil inevitably be damaged, and confe-
quently the horfe would go lame.

The weight of lliocs mufl greatly, v/holely indeed,
depend on the quality and hardnefs of the iron. If the
iron be very good, it will not bend ; and in this cafe,
the fhoes cannot poffibly be made too light; care how-
ever muft be taken, that they be of a thicknefs fo as not
to bend; for bending would force out the nails, and ruin
the hoof. That part of the flioe, which is next the horfe's
heel, mufl be narrower than any other, (as is feen in the
draught) that flones may be thereby prevented from get-
ting under it, and flicking there ; which otherwife would
be the cafe ; becaufe the iron, when it advances inwardly

beyond

BREAKING Morses, ^c, ioj

beyond the bearing of the foot, forms a cavity, wherein
floncs being lodged would remain, and by prefling againll
the foot, lame the horfe. Broad webbed fhoes are very ab-
furd thin2:s. Nothino- more is wanted, than iuft iron enough
to protect the outward crufl: of the foot, and to prevent
its breakino-. The nails in ail ilioes muft, on account
of the natural fhape of the foot, be driven fianting a lit-
tle towards the extreme edges of the foot. Any partial
prelTure towards the inward edge of the fhoe, muft of
courfe, in a broad v/ebbed ihoe, loofen the nails, and con-
fequently tear and dam. age the foot, fuppofing even the
iron of the fhoe good enough not to bend. This incon-
venience of tearing out the nails, &c. great as it is, is the
beft which can happen in this cafe ; for, if the iron was to
bend, it would prefs againft the inv/ard part of the foot,
and lame the horfe juft as much as if the fhoe had not
been bevilled off at all in the proper place, for the picker
to be put in, in order to clean out (lones, gravel, &c.
Making a groove round the edges of Ihoes, if the iron
is not very good, may caufe a partial yielding there ; but
if the iron is good, a groove is very ufeful, to protedl
the heads of the nails. Farriers fhould always examine a

foot

104 A METHOD OF

foot before they fhoe it, make the Ihoe, and pierce the
holes for the nails further from, or nearer to, the edges of
the foot accordingly, as they find the foot requires. The
holes for the nails Ihould always be pierced flanting rather
outwards. The beft way to forge Ihoes, in refpedt to the
nails, is to make the holes for the nails at twice, with two
different inftruments : firft on the outfide of the Hioe punch
a place, not quite through the Ihoe, big enough to re-
ceive, and cover the head of the nail, when driven in :
next punch a fmaller hole, from the center of the above-
mentioned larger one, for the blade of the nail, quite
through the Ihoe : thus the nails are well driven in, pro-
tedled, and can not be pufhed by ufe too much into the
foot, but always keep their firm, proper place, full as well as,
nay better than in a grooved fhoe in cafe the iron Ihould
not be perfectly good. All fhoes Iliould be a little broader
at the extremities towards the heels, than elfewhere, ex-
cept the foot fpreads of itfelf too much at the heel, which
js feldom the cafe j if the horfe cuts, they mufl . not be
made fo : the reafon why they Ihould generally be broader
there is, that they encourage the foot to grow, fpread
properly, and therefore prevent narrow heels. It mull al-
ways

BREAKING HORSES, i^c, 105

«ways be remembered, that where the web grows narrow
fowards the heel, the feat of the flioe mud neverthelefs
keep its ufual proper equal breadth within, otherwife the
horfe's foot would not have its equal proper baf.s, or .^Tp-
pui, and the flioe would get into the foot, and require
frequent removals^ which are great inconveniences. Th^
part of the flioe, v/hich the horfe walks upon, fiiould be
quite flat, and the infide of it likewife ; only jull fpace
enough being left next the foot, to put in a picker, (which
pught to be ufed every time the horfe comes into the lia-
ble, and often on marches) and alio to prevent the llioe's
preffing upon the fole. In fnowy weather, it is particuarly
neceflary to pick and clean the feet very often, on marclief; -,
otherwife the fnow foon grov/s very hard in the feet, makes
the horfe flip about very much, and hurts him aliLO-L as
much as large ftones in the feet would do. Four nails on
each fide, hold better than a greater number, and keep
the hoof in a far better ftate. The toe of the horfe mud
be cut fliort, and nearly fquare, (the angles only juil roun-
ded off) nor muft any nails be driven there j this method
prevents much Humbling, efpecially in defcents, and ferves
by throwing nourifliment to tJie heels, to ftrengthen them j

? . on

io6 AMETHODOF

on them the horfe Ihould in fome meafure walk, and the
ihoe be made of a proper length accordingly : by this
means narrow heels are prevented, and many other good
cffefts produced. Many people drive a nail at the toe, but
it is an abfurd pratlice. Leaving room to drive one there
caufes the foot to be of an improper length, and moreover
that part of the hoof is naturally fo brittle, that the nail
there feldom flays in, but tears out, and damages the hoof.
That my direftons for fhoeing a proper length may be the
more clear and intelligible, I have annexed a draught of a
foot fhod of a proper length. Handing on a plain furface,
and with it a draught of the right kind of fhoe. (Plate i6.
No. I. the interior part of the fhoe next the foot, and
No. 2. the exterior part, which rells on the ground.)
Mofl farriers make fhoes thicker at the heels, than at the
toes, efpecially for hard working horfes : the great folly of
doing fo is very eafy to be feen, for horfe-fhoes always wear
out fooner at the toe, than any where elfe -, confequently
the toe rather requires more fubflance, than any other
part. In fome farriers fliops the anvils are concave, and
the hammers convex, fo that it is almofl impoffible a well
fhaped flat fhoe fhould be made there. Place the fhoe both
ways on a flat furface, and it is furprizing how faulty the
form of it is generally. La

BREAKING HORSES, (^c. 107

" La Fosse's tips, or half fhoes, are particularly ufeful for
feet whofe cruft is too weak to bear nails towards the hinder
parts of the foot, and whofe heels have a tendency to grow
narrow. Pity it is that they require being frequently re-
moved.

In wet, fpungy, and foft ground, where the foot finks
in, the preffure upon the heels is of courfe greater, than on
hard ground ; and fo indeed it fhould be upon all accounts.
The hinder feet muft be treated in the fame manner as the
fore ones, and the fnoes the fame : except in hilly and flip-
pery countries, where they may not improperly be turned up
a little behind : but turning up the fore-fhoes is very fcl-
dom, I am convinced, of any fervice, and is very preju-
dicial to the fore legs, efpecially to the bullets. In very
greafy, wet, or loofe kind of flippery foils indeed, where
the ground eafily gives way, and lets the foot in, without
however holding it in very ftrongly, turning up before may
be ufeful, but in a hard country, where the foot can not en-
ter the ground, cramps before are very hurtful, and quite
ufelefs ; the tendon being by them elevated, and there-
fore conftantly flraining itfelf for want of a bafis to reft

P 2 on.

ioS A METHOD OF

on, they endamage the finews very much, and caufe wind-
galls, lamenefs, fwellings on the bullet, and weaknefTesj-
&c. almoft as much as the walnut-fliell fhaped llioe, which
is held in fuch high efleem by bad farriers, and their ig-
norant flable followers. In defcending hills, unlefs in the
above-mentioned kind of foils, cramps on the fore feet
are apt to throw horfes down, by flopping tlie fore legs,
Out of their proper bafis and natural bearing, when the hin-
der ones are rapidly prefTed j which unavoidably muft be
the cafe, and confeqiiently cannot but pulh the horfe upon
his nofe. With them on a plain furface, a horfe's foot is
always thrown forwards on the toe, out of its proper bear-
ing, which is very liable to make the horfe ftumble. The
notion of their utility in going up hills is a falfe one.
In afcending, the toe is the firft part of the foot, which
bears on, and takes hold of the ground, whether the horfe
draws, or carries ; and confequently the bufinefs is almoft
done, before the part, where the cramps are, comes td
the ground. Ice nails are preferable to any thing to pre-
vent flipping, as alfo to help horfes up hill, the moll for-
ward ones taking hold of the ground early, confiderably
before the heels touch the ground : they muft be fo made^

as

BREAlCiNG HORSES, ^c. to'^

as to bcj when driven in, about a quarter of an inch above
the fhoe, and alfo have four fides ending at the top in a
point. They are of great fervice to prevent flipping on all
kinds of places, and by means of them a horfe is not
thrown out of his proper bafis. They muft be made of
very good iron ; if they are not, the heads of them
Will be perpetually breaking off, v/hich v/ill not hap-
pen, if the iron is good, and the nails are well made>
of the above-tnentioned iliape and fize. Making them
with higher heads, would render them liable to break
off, and anfwer no piirpofe whatever. When, in the
not long ago mentioned kinds of grounds, cramps on
the fore fe'^t are ufed, they fliould be fmall, and the
heads of the nails ihould ftand up in the manner of the
ice nails, but not quite fo highj above the fhoe, by
which the foot and the tendons would always have their
proper bearing. Thefe nails may be alfo ufed without
any cramps. By putting a frefh nail every now and
then on the fhoe, as wanted, all wifhed for ends are
obtained, and no bad effefts enfue. I know that I am
fighting againft a very (Irong, though very unreafon-
ajble prejudice. Let this method be tried only, and

conipjred

,iio A METHOD OF

compared fairly on experience with others; and not imme-
diately laid afide, if, in flippery weather, a horfe thus
fhod Ihould now and then flip. In fomc weather, and on
fome ground, any horfe any how Ihod, may fometimes
chance to fall. There is unluckily no abfolute fpecific a-
gainft accidental falling in any fhoes yet difcovered. I
have tried all methods, and find the above-mentioned one
the nearell to perfedion : this fort of Ihoe and nails, when
well made and fixed properly, being the firmeft bafis, and
beft hold I ever knew. I do not recommend ice nails at
all times : in certain weather, (the greateft part of the year
indeed) the ground is in a condition which does not re-
quire any. From the race -horfe to the cart-horfe, the
fame fyftem of fhoeing fliould be obferved : the fize,
thicknefs, and weight of them only fhould differ : the
fhoe of a race-horfe mud of courfe be lighter than that of
a faddle-horfe -, that of a faddle-horfe lighter than that of
a troop, coach, draught, or bat horfe; and thefelaft more fo
than a cart, waggon, or artillery horfe. A faddle-horfe's
fhoe fhould weigh thirteen ounces and a half; that of a coach,
or draught-horfe one pound and three ounces : the nails for
the former one ounce per dozen ; thofe for the latter one

ounce

BREAKING rtORSES, ^c. tit

ounce and three quarters. Much the eafieft way, and
in general the beft, is to ufe a narrow-webbed Ilioe, all
over of one equal breadth both within and without, with
the holes for the nails exadly in the middle : with little
or no art, liich a fhoC is made out of a narrov/ bar of iron :
it muft neceflarily be always narrow, for there can be no
bevel in it, or it would prefs upon and hurt the infide of
the foot : it has one p;reat advantae-e over all other fhoes,
that ftones cannot lodge in it. At prefent all llibei?
in general are too heavy : if the iron is good, Hioes
need not be fo thick, as they are now generally made.
With exceedingly heavy loads, fuch as large cannon, in
hilly> flippery countries, and in the bad feafons of the year,
the thiller horfe fliould be turned up both before and be-
hind, v/ith three cramps on each fhoe ; one in the mid-
dle part of the toe of the fiioe ; v/hich in going up hili
"Would help the horfe much in his nrfi force to draw his
weight after him. I mean this only for a thiller horfe, and
in certain countries, and weather, when the foot can enter
the ground, fo that the elevation given to the fhoe has no
inconvenience attending it. The utmoft feverity ought to
be infiicled upon all thofe wlio clap fhoes on hot: this

unpar-

112 A METH OD OF

unpardonable lazinefs of farriers in making {{^ct thus fit
fhoes, inftead of Ihoes fitting {eet, dries up the hoofs,
and utterly deflroys them. It has happened, that the
fole has been fo much heated by a hot Ihoe, that a horfe
has been moll dangeroully lamed, and fome have even loft
their lives by it. Shoes fhould be always made and fitted
before the holes are pierced. The Ihoes in England at
prefent, that are contrived with the moft fenfe, are what
they call plates for the race-horfes at New-Market : I do
not fay, that they are perfed, but they are nearer the
truth, than any others I know ; nor are they fiibftan-
tial enough for coqimon ufe, though fufiiciently fo for
the turf.

It is fometimes eafy to cure horfes of cutting by fhoe-
ing, but far from always : nine times in ten their doing
it proceeds from their turning out their toes. Colts ge-
nerally graze with one foot ftretched out, which refts on
the infide, by which the infide is worn down ; this makes
the toe grow outwards, and the colt becomes crooked
from the fetlock downwards : the cutting then generally
proceeds from the infide being lower than the outfide j the

outfide

6REAKING HORSES, ^c, 113

biitfide therefore muft be frequently pared down, and the
infide not. If the foot is fuch as will not bear cutting,
the Ihoe muft be made thicker on the infide web, than on
the outfide one, from the heel to the toe, and every time
the horfe is fhodj the llioe rnuft be turned a little in-
wards, and the outfide of the hoof ralped oiT, 'till the foot
becomes quite ftraight by degrees. Bar-llioes can never
be good, or ufeful, but juft for a very little time, to co-
ver fome damaged part of the foot, if the pooi* horfe
can not be fpared frDm. work, 'till he is cured*

'Tis ftrange, that tliere fhould be fo many ridiculous
and abfurd methods of fhoeing, when it is fo manifeft,
that a fmall fhare of common-fenfe, with a moment's re-
flexion upon the ftrudure of a horfe's foot, cannot but
fuggeft the proper one. Frequent removals of inoes are
detrimental and tear the foot, but fometimes they are
very necelTary : this is an inconvenience, which half-
ihoes are liable to, (though excellent in feveral other re-
fpefts) for the end of the Ihoe being very fliort is apt to
work foon into the foot, and confequently muft then be
jBioved. Soldiers ftiould always carry two fpare ihoes

Q^ with

114 A METHOD OF

with them, on the upper end and outward fide of each
holfter pipe, with fome nails. Some fhould carry a ham-
mer, others a pair of pinchers, others a butteris, and all
be taught how to fix on a Ihoe. The weight of thefe things
properly divided is trifling. The ufe of them would be
foon found on fervice, particularly with light troops, and
on detachments, where farriers cannot be prefent.

The common praftice of fluffing feet with dung is a
very bad one, for the dung contains a rotting quality in it ;
clay and hog's lard, well mixed together, is much better
for that purpofe. As to hoof ointment, none is better
than that made of one pound of neat's foot oil, one pound
of turpentine, and ten ounces of bees-wax. Greafing and
flopping, though good for moft feet, are not fo for all :
weak fpungy crufls and foles are the worfe for it : fuch
mufl be kept dry. Strong feet mufl be often wetted,
greafed, and flopped, and the crufl kept down low, or
they will fall in by the flrong prefTure of the crufl, an4
caufe narrow heels. When hories are hot, the water
with which their feet are wafhed fhould be lukewarm:
\{ the heels arc cracked, thofe parts fhould be wafhed

with

BREAKING HORSES, ^c. it^

With milk and water, and a little brandy in it, made a
little warm. Mr. Clarke, in his excellent treatife iipoil
llioeihg and feet, infills, that oil, greafy lluffings^ and
ointments agree but with few hoofs, that they flop the
natural perfpiirationj and that frequent wafliings with wa-
ter, moifltire, and coolnefs, keep them in a much more
perfeft ftate. The experience I have had fince I faw his
book, convinces me that he is right in general : the natu-
ral and fuperior benefit which feet and hoofs receive at grafs
from the dew, rains and moifture of the earth, is a proof
of it : and on the other hand we fecj that race-horfesj par-
ticularly at New-Market^ where they are always exercifcd
on a dry, clofe turf^ and where they drink out of
troughs, round which there is no water for them to Hand
in, are fubjed: to a variety of difeafes in the feet, and
hoofs, though they are kept cbnflantly greafed.

The methods of treating and keeping horfes in other
refpedts, are as various, and for the generality as incon-
fiftent with reafon, as thofe of fhoeing are ; but a little
confideration would (in moft common cafes at leaft) di-
re<^ people right in both. One pampers his cattle, witli

0^2 a view

ii6 A METHOD OF

a view of ftrengthening them ; and afterwards, by way
of corre6tion, he pours down drugs into them without
thought or meafure : another lets no air at all into his
flable ; from whence his horfes inevitably catch cold, when
they ftir out of it, and are rotted, if they flay in it, by
bad corrupted air : a third, equally wife, leaves his liable
open, and his cattle expofed to the wind and weather at
all times, whether his horfes or the weather be hot or
cold, and frequently too even in wind-draughts, whilft they
are in a fweat. All thefe different notions and practices
are alike attended with deftruftion to horfes ; as alfo are
the many extravagances that prevail in the fame contra-
dictory extremes, with regard to coverings. But in anfwer
to all thefe foolilh fyllems, reafon plainly fuggefts to us,
that proper wholefome food, a well-tempered circulation
of fweet air, moderate and conftant exercife, with due care,
andfuitablecloathing, as weather and occafions may require,
will never fail to preferve horfes found and in health.

After working, and at night of courfe, as alfo in. lame-
nefTes, and ficknelTes, 'tis good for horfes to ftand on
fitter i it alfo promotes ftaleing, &:c. A,t other times it i»

a ba4

BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 117

a bad cuftom ; the conilant ufe of it heats and makes the
feet tender, and caufes fwelled legs : moreover it renders
the animal delicate. Swelled legs may frequently be re-
duced to their proper natural fize by taking away the lit-
ter only, which, in fome ftables, where ignorant grooms, and
farriers govern, would be a great faving of phyfic and bleeds
ing, befides ftraw. I have feen by repeated experiments,
legs fwell, andunfwell, by leaving litter, or taking it av/ay^
like mercury in a weather-glafs.

It is of the greatefl confequence for hprfes to be kept
clean, regularly fed, and as regularly exercifed : but v/ho-
ever chufes to ride in the way of eafe and pleafure, without
any fatigue on horfeback, or in fhort does not like to carry
his horfe, inftcad of his horfe's carrying him, m.ufl: not
fuffer his horfe to be exercifed by a groom, {landing up on
his ftirrups, holding himfelf on by means of the reins, and
thereby hanging his whole dead weight on the horfe's
mouth, to the entire deftrudion of all that is good, fafe
or pleafant about the animal. No horfe's paces can be
perfed, nor can he be agreeable, or indeed quite fafe,
unlefs his mouth has been made, and his body fuppled to

a cer-^

Ii8 A METHOD OF

a certain degree, fo as to be balanced in the rider's hafid.
A horfe's head fhould be kept high : when it is low, the a-
nimal can not be well balanced ; for the fore parts being
low, and weighing forwards, the hinder parts muft of
courfe be high : the fore parts are naturally much more
loaded than the hinder onesj though of a hi< urbng con-
flru6tion. ■ The rider ought to know as much as his horfe^
at leaft j for, without art, it is impofiible to preferve that
union J and that together y if I may fo exprefs myfelf, which
are equally pleafing, and neceflary : a man on a totally
uninftru6led horfe, or an ill-inllrufted one, rides, as it were/
tipon a coach pole.

A great quantity of hay, efpecially that which is taken
from water meadows, or any low and fwampy ground, be-
ing of a foggy nature, is not good for horfes; it hurts
their wind very much : it may ferve indeed for cart-horfes,
and for fuch troop-horfes (few of fuch, thank God, now
remain) who are meant for no other ufe, but to roll on
fiowly with a fat fellow, full of beer^ upon them -, who,
to the fhame of the fervice, with the badge of foldierfhip
*n his back, is a more llupid and lazy animal, than what

BREAKING H0RSE3r ^^. i^9

he is mounted upon, which to its misfortune is rendered
fo by the fluggilhnefs of its rider, But troops, who are
really deftined for fervice, and to be ufeful, muft be aftive
^nd in wind j the very training them only, to what is ab-
folutely necefiary, requires that they Ihould be fo, more,
or lefs, according to the different intents and purpoie^
|:hey may be defigned for.

Upon fervice, the allowance of ail kinds of forage,
whenever there is a poffibility of fupplying it, is fuffici-
entj but fometlmes it cannot be procured for a long while
together : befides which misfoi-tune, it is very often moil
fhamefuily and carelefsly wafted ; not to mention, that
commiffaries in general feldom furnifli out the due quan-
tity or quality of any thing, which they have agreed and
engaged for, and are moft amply paid for,

At home, our horfes are crammed and ruined with over^
much hay, and the allowance of corn is fcanty. A kin4
of rnill, not to grind corn, but only juft to crack and bruife
it a little, is fo ufeful, that no regiment fliould ever march
without one. Every grain of it goes to nourifhmentj none
is to be found in the dungj and three feeds of it go further

than

I20 A METH OD OF

than four as commonly given, which have not been in the
mill. Cut wheaten ftraw, and a little hay too fometimes
mixed with it, is excellent food: to a quartern of corn
put the fame quantity of cut ftraw, and now and then
if a horfe is very lean, butnot otherwife, about half a one of
hay, and let them all be well mingled together; and as
Chopped flraw is generally exceedingly dry, fprinkle a lit-
tle water upon the feed in the manger. This proportion
of chopped ftraw may feem great, but confidering the
lightnefs of it, it is not fuch in reality. It obliges horfei
to chew their meat, and is many other ways of ufe. The
quantity of horfes food muft be proportioned to their fize,
work, make, appetite, &c. ; yet, in regiments it is ne-
ceffary to fix, and follow fome kind of general rule in
refpe6b to it. Four of thefe feeds as above-mentioned,
with ten or twelve pounds of hay per day, will be fuf-
ficient for moft horfes on almoft on all occafions, ex-
cept at the piquet late in the year in bad weather ; then
ihey fliould be almoft always feeding on fomething, or
other i and if they have no corn, they will confume near
forty pounds a day of hay, allowing for fome wafte, which
Is unavoidable, elpecially on bad ground, and in windy

weather.

BREAKING HORSES, ^c, lai

weather. When the forage confifts of unthrafhed flraw
only, eight-and-twenty, or thirty pounds of it for eacli
horfe will do very well, efpecially, if the cutting-box is
made ufe of, as it always fhould be. Whenever forage
is fcarce, the beft method is to have every thing cut,
and given to the horfes every tv/o hours, in nofe-bags,
or deep canvafs troughs, lb that the wind may blow none
away. Even in time of peace at home, :he cutting-box
ihould be ufed conflantly. The allowance at home
cannot afford fo much, neither indeed is fo much necef-
fary, when troops are not on fervice. The exercife hories
J;ake at home, though it fliould perhaps be greater, and
more conflant, than it is in fome corps, does not require
it. A matter of the greateft confequence, though few at-
tend to it, is to feed horfes according to their v/ork, and
never to fuffer them to pafs the day quite ftill, withouc
fom.e motion at leaft. When the work is hard, food Ihould
be in plenty; when it is otherwife, the food Ihould be di-
miniftjed immediately; the hay particularly. Horfes fhould
be turned ioofe fomev/here, or walked about every day,
when they do not work, particularly after hard exercife.
Swelled legs, phyfic, &c. will be faved by thefe means,
gjpd many didempers avoided.

R I can-

iid A METHOD OF

I cannot mention the word piquet, v/ithout faying'
fomething on oiir pernicious cuftom of cutting horfe's tails
entirely off, the inconvenience of which is very glaring in
many inftances; but in none more, or more feriouay fo,
than at piquets on fervice, when in hot v/eather, and in
ground where there are many flies, I have often feen our
horfcs, with meat before them, fretting, fweating, kick-
ing about, laming one another, and fo plagued with
flies for want of tails to brufh them away, that they did
not eat at all, and fo grew out of condition, whilfl the
neighbouring foreign regiments on the fame ground brufh'd
off the flies with their tails, were cool, quiet, and fed at
their eafe, and improved. Since that tinne indeed our ca-
valry has been ordered to recruit only long tails, and tis
to be hoped the nation will follow the example, though
old cuflioms, even the worft, I know, are hard to be got
the better of. That of cutting off horfes tails, ears, and
other extremities, is a very old noted one indeed amongft
us in England ; for fo long ago as the year 747, a canon
was, by order of Pope Gregory the fecond, in a letter to
St. Augufline, exprefly made at an ecclefiafl:ical court in
Yorkfhire, to abolifli, amongft other cruel cuftoms, fo bar-
barous

BREAKING HORSES, &c, 123

barous a pradice. On duty and niarches long tails are
verv eafily tied up properly, and look very well : a nag-
taii indeed, fuffered to grow a little, proteds a horfe pretty
well. All forts of grains are foggy feeding, and though they
plump up the body, they do not give a wholefome and
found fat : bran too, is not folid food, and is only now
a.nd then to be allowed, when horfes are heated, to refrelli,
and open them, if the cafe requires it.

Whenever hay is put and left in the racks, it Ihould be
well cleaned and freed from dufb, and not given in too
large quantities: in this refped 'tis, like v/ater, much more
beneficial, v/hen fupplied in fmall quantities at a time.
"Wlien a good deal is given at a time, horfes fpoil, and do
not eat the greatefl part of it very often, by having blown
upon it a good while. A proper quantity of it fnould be
given at twice j a little in the morning before watering;,
and the reft fometim^e after they have done their work in
the evening. Nothing but good clean wheaten-llraw Ihould
be left at night in the racks, when the ftables are Hiut up,
and the horfes lefc to reft. If hay is left for them, they
will fixquently ftand up to feed almoft all night, lie down

R 2 but

124 AMETHODOF

but little, and take fcarcely any reft. A little ftraw fome-
times in the racks during the day time is alfo proper.

Both before, and after working, horfes fliould be turned
about y^'iih their croupes to the manger for about an liour.
'Tis a common, but a great error, and very dctFirhental to
horfes, to gallop them immediately after drinking j what
fiiable-men call warming the water in their bellies : they
ought to be moved only gently. Upon the" whole, a very
lean horfe, and a very fat horfe are both in a manner ufe-
lefs to a certain degree : a rough coat is no good fymptom ;
but the means of making it fine iliould not be by dint of
heat and covering, but by drelTing and due care. It is of
the greateft confequence to a horfe's lieahh, that he fhould
always be well rubbed down, and cleaned. Lazinefs is
the true reafon why grooms cover horfes fo much, and keep
ftables fo hot, though they difguife it under the pretence
of thinking it wholefome, which indeed however the moft
ignorant of them really db. A horfe when abfolutely
ruined by over heat will neverthelefs very often have a
very fine good looking coat.

It

BREAKING HORSES, &c, 125

It is a duty very requifite, and incumbent upon officersj
to be as conftant, exatfl, and frequent in going up and down
the lines in camp, as through the flables in quarters] and
it is likewil'e advifeable for every one to vifit often his own
ftables, to infpedl and fuperintend the management of the
horfes. No trimming with cizars fliould be permitted ;
but whatever rough hairs appear, fhould be taken ofF by
drefTing. The infide particularly of the ears fhould never
be trimmed, but always kept cleaned : nature has placed
hairs within them for reafons very obvious : when they are
cut away, dud and infedts frequently get into the ears, in-
comode horfes very much, and fometimes caufe a ferious
ailment in thofe parts. As great inconveniences often hap-
pen from horfes getting loofe, I have affixed a draught and
defcription of the moft effedual halter I know of j (Pla. 17.)
and indeed the only one I have found upon trial, that is
capable of preventing iti

This halter has no throat-band, cr rather it has, iil
a manner, two, which are fixed, and begin at No. i.
Theycrofs at 2, are fixed again and end at 3. The nofc
band is alfo fowcd on at 3. The place 2, where the throat-

bajids

126 A METHOD OF

bands meet, is a flat button, which is placed, when the
halter is well put on, jyft under the ganaches, (the chan-
nel between the two jaw-bones.) The chains, ropes, or
leathers. No. 4, which tie the horfe in the liable, are
alfo fixed at 3. No. 5, a Tingle cord or leathers if the
hbrfe is only faftened with one^ which will be as effeftual
^s two.

As horfes are generally more fupple to the left, than to
the right, owing to their being, from their earlieft youth,
more handled on that fide, than the other, they Ihculd not
only be led with the left hand, in order that they may
bend rather to the right, than to the left; but all col-
lars, caveflbns, girts, bridles, bridoons, pillar cords, &c,
iliould be made for the famiC reafon, to buckle, and unbuc-
kle on the ri^ht fide. Horfes often hang themfelves Ini
their halters, and frequently hurt themfelves a good deal
by it : the befl remedy for fuch accidents is merely to
keep the hurt clean by wafliing it with lukewarm water
■with fome brandy in it, and every now and then to fup*
pie the part widi a little green ointment, fuch as mallow^s,
&c. boiled to a certain confiilency, and mixed with fweec

BREAKING HORSES, ^c. 127

When horfes are out of cafe, have buttons broke out
about them, their legs fwellj and their coats flare^ and there
-is not time (nor perhaps an abfolute necelTity for it) to
phyfic them> a rowel, and two ounces of the following
powder, given every morning for twenty, or thirty daysj
in wetted corn, fo that none can be blown away, are of
'great fervice : the powder to be compofed of one pound
of liver of antimonyj half a pound of fulphur, and a
quarter of a pound of nitre, mixed well together : if tlie
horfe has a coughj make it into balls, with flour and trea-
cle, or any fuch kind of thing;

A common complaint amongft troop-horfes is broken-
Vind, "Vfhich is chiefly occafioned by fluffing them with
too much hay; and often by hurrying them too violently-
after drinking, and after their coming at firfl: from grafsi
There is no fovereign remedy for broken-v/ind -, but the
greatefl: palliative I know of, is this following receipt of
lime-water, which is oftener of fervice if continued longj
or rather always indeedthan any other remedy I know of,
mving probably not only to the good €rfe6ts of the lime,
but alfo to the fmall quantity of liquid the horfes take ;

"for

i2§ A METH OD OF

for very few will ever drink plentifully of this water, and
many will go feveral days without drinking at all, before
they will even tafte it : the horfe muft eat no hay at all,
and only have wheaten ftraw in the rack : this water muft
be ufed too when mafhes are given, and on every other
occafion : in fhort no other water is ever to be given in
any fhape whatever : 'tis made thus— Take two pounds of
quick lime, and put to it twelve gallons of water ; mix it
over night, flirring it for a long time together, and pour-
ing the water on very gradually 'till the ebullition is over j
then leave it to fettle for ufe the next day. If a chalybeate
fpring is at hand, the lime-water will be much the better
for being made of it, inftead of any common water.
This me^iicine caufes no inconvenience, or impediment,
and does not prevent the horfe from working as ufual. A
horfe, whofe wind is fufpicious, fliould immediately be put
on lime-water, apd never drink more than a, gallon or five
quarts in a day, and no horfe Ihould drink more than dou-
ble that quantity, that too at two or three different times.
Three pints of warm milk from the cow, night and morn-
ing, will fometimes prevent horfes heaving, or coughing
for a fliort time, even in tolerably fmart exercife ; but as

BREAKING HORSES, l^c. 129

the advantages arifing from the milk are of fo fliort a
duration, this method may, with reafon, be looked upon
more as a dealer's trick to fell off a broken-winded horfe
by, than as a remedy. Farriers generally fend horfes tou-
ched in the wind to grafs, v/hich, opening them, at firft
feems to do them good, but, when they are taken into the
ftable again, and put for feme time on hard meat, they are
always worfe than before, and the diftemper more rooted in.

Worms are fo common, and fo troublefome a diftem-
per, that I can not omit faying fomething of them here.
Horfes, who look out of order, are frequently fo ownig to
worms } that muft be examined into always immediately.
Give fafting, and let the horfe faft three or four hours af-
ter it, a quart of beef brine every morning for three or
four days. The brine alone will often cure entirely, a
purge being given the day after all the brine is taken i a
clyfter fhould be given over night, before the purge. If
from one ounce and a half to two ounces of iEthiop's mi-
neral in a bolus is given the day after all the brine is taken,
and a day before the purge, the cure will be flill more cer-
tain. You'll fee the dead worms in the horfe's dung.

S A run-

1^0 AMETHODOF

A running at the nofe, with a cough, aad other fymp^
toms, known by the name of fbe dijtempery is fo frequent^
and fo ill treated by farriers, that 1 can not help giving
fome directions for the treatment of it. Give frequent clyf-
ters, keep a rowel or tv/o running for fome time, and, if
the illnefs be violent, and attended by a fever^ give James's
fever pov/ders for three nights running, the tirft night three
papers, the fecond night two papers, and the third night
one paper. No bleeding at firn. Then give, for four
days running, two ounces of nitre, and afterwards an ounce
2.rA a half a day for fome time. Poultice from the very
beginning under and about the throat, with bread, milk,
and lard, made pretty hot ; if any thing hard thereabouts
grows foft, and does not break of itfclf, open it with
a lancet, and cleanfe it ' thoroughly. As foon as the
running at the nofe ceafes, and not before, give very gen-
tle exercife, and, if the cough then flill remains, bleed
very little at a time, but frequently, 'till it ceafes. Keep
the horfe by no means cold, but let him have frefh air.
He muft not be moved 'till the running at the nofe ceafes.
Don't phyfiCj but continue the ounce and a half of nitre
for three weeks at leaft, and give two or three times a week,

for

BREAKING HORSES, &c, T31

for as long as Is found necelTary, a drink made of liquorice
root, ftones of raifins bruis'd, and figs dry'd, of each two
ounces, and one ounce of maiden-hair -, boil them toge-
ther in a quart of water, 'till reduced to a pint, then add
fyrup of balfam, cold drawn linfeed oil, of each two ounces,
and one ounce of nitre. This drink not to be given 'till
the running at the nofe ceafes. If the diflemper is
exceedingly flight, James's powders, may be omitted.
If the tellicles fwell, ufe cooling things, fuch as
warm m.iik and water, marfh- mallows, &c. but above
all things, don't negled to fufpend them in a fling.
Keep the nofe and nofl:rils very clean, by wafliing them
frequently with warm water. Feed with mafiies only, and
continue the poultice 'till the running of the nofe lias cea-
fed two or three days. Then the covering about the throat
muft be taken off by degrees, a little at a time.

Greafy and fwelled legs being a very common dillemper
in troop horfes, I fliall fet down the following very good
receipt for the cure of it -.—Take falt-pfetre two ounces and
two drams, the fame quantity of venice turpentine,
one ounce and four drams of flour of brimflone, dia-
|>ente fix drams i mix the whole together with a fuflicient

S 2 quan-

73^ A METHOD OF

quantity of liquorice powder, make it into balls, and give
it to the horfe fafting in the morning; he muft not eat fur
two hours after taking it, nor drink for five or fix hours>
and then the water muft be warmilh ; he muft be kept
warm, and have gentle walking exercife the next day j this
dofe muft be repeated twice, or more, as required, with
an interval of three days between each dofe.

The following manner of treating the greafe is aif ) a vefy
good one.— As medicines to be given inwardly, take of
powdered refin one ounce and a half; of fait of tartar,
and fal prunell, each fix drams ; fpirit of turpentine, e-
nough to make it into a balL The proper dofe for a large
horfe is three ounces : it ftiould be given when firft made
up, or elfe the fait of tartar will make its efcape. This
will operate as a diuretic two days, during which time t'.ie
horfe is to have plenty of fcalded bran, plenty of warm
water, and gentle walking. The third and fourth mor-
ning, he is to take a ball made of the following medicines,
Takeoffoenugreek,anifeed, elecampane, turmerick, liquo-
rice powder, diapente powdered, each equal parts; add tu a
pound of this powder two ounces of anifated balfam of

fulphur.

BREAKING HORSES, ^c 133

fulphur, and honey enough to make it of a proper confif-
tence : the dofe of this ball to be of the fize of a hen's egg :
the diuretic ball is to be given in the morning j the day-
following nothing; the two fucceeding mornings, the
cordial ball j and (o on 'till the diuretic ball has been gi-
ven three times: the cordial ball to be continued every day
after the third diuretic ball is given, 'till the horfe is welU

As external applications,— if there be a fwelling of the
parts, they fKould ht poulticed with warm I'ye meal, and
milk, boiled to a proper confiflience, which is to be renewed
every day. When the fwelling is gone, apply the fol-
lowing: take of honey two pounds and a half; of train
oil, and powdered allum, each two pounds ; boil them
to a proper confiflence : fom.e of this to be fpread on a
linen rag, and applied to the parts : to be renewed once
in forty-eight hours. The horfe muft not go out, when
this medicine is applied. This will dry up the fores, and,
if there is any fcurf, or fcab left, ufe the foilov/ing mix-
ture : take of the juice of houfeleek one part; of very
thick cream two parts ; beat it up together into an oint-
ment, and rub fome of it every day on the parts affeded.

Refia

i3i A M E T H O D O F

Refin drink Is alfo very good for fwelled legs. The
following is alfo a good method of curing the greafe:
pluck out the hairs clean, with pinchers, all about,
and upon the greafed part. Then put on a turnip poul-
tice, and leave it on twenty-four hours; then fpread a
Jinen bandage with tar, and wrap it, not loofe, nor tight,
found the part, and leave it on three or four days. Con-
tinue at the fame time, the balls, or refin drink, and take
away fome blood once or twice, a little at a time.

When a horfe is lame, no matter where, grooms and
farriers generally fay he is fo in the Ihoulder, which is ver^
feldom the cafe. If he really is fo, he will drag his toe
on the ground, or move his legs circularly, more of
Jefs, according to the degree of the hurt; if he does
not do it at all, he is not lame in the flioulder.
Every body who is in the lead acquainted with the tex-
ture of a horfe, knows this to be true. When a hoife's
lamenefs proceeds from any other caufe, from the knee
downwards, one may generally know it by fome inflamma-
tion, or other fign, fuch as fwellings, tendernefles. Sec.
One may generally fufpedt with reafonfomething wrong ifi
the feet, or coronary ring, owing chiefly to the commoM
very bad method of managing feet. Running thrulhes

are

BREAKING HORSES, ^c 135

are a common complaint, and though they are to be
Hopped, generally end in eating away the infide of the foot:
Vitriol and water dry thefe thruflies> and fo does a mixture
of one-third fpirit of nitre, and two-thirds of fpirit of
wine dabbed with a rag, and fcveral other applications of
that kind. When horfes, who are troubled with them>
tread on a Iharpifh ftone, the pain they feel from it is often
fo great, that they fall down as if they were fhot. Some-
times a clumfy fellow, by negligence and aukwardncfs,
which is oftener the cafe, than by any other accident, is the
caufe of his horfe's falling, and breaking his knees. If any
thing will make the hair come again, and probably of a
right colour, burnt cork finely fifted, mixed with oil, and
made into an ointment will do it ; but if the horfe is grey, the
burnt cork mull be omitted, and honey mixed up with flie
oil in lieu of it, becaufe the burnt cork, by caufing the haii^
to grow up of a darkifh colour, would disfigure a grey, or
white horfe. Before the cork, and oil ointment is ufed,
poultice the part with pounded turnips boil'd with milk,
and mixed up with hog's lard, and a little friar's balfam }
'till there is no fwelling or irritation left. The poultice
tnufl be put on frefh every twenty-four houisj the oint-
ment mufl be laid on very often, and the part mud be

kept free from dirt.

For

136 A METHOD OF

For flralns of all kinds, foap, and camphor diflblved
into fpirits of wine, and ofcen well rubbed on the part,
which mufl be afterwards covered with tow and vvarra
pitch, are excellent. The tow thus ftuck, and left on,
keeps the injured part from cold, &:c. and it is fome
time before it wears oif : it is indeed a blemifh for the
time, but befides being a good remedy in itfelf, it is o-
therwife of great ufe, as it puts <t abfolutely out of the
power of grooms and farriers to play any of their tricks,
or for the latter to have any pretence whatfoever to be about
the ftables. It is a common cullom to give walking ex-
ercife to horfes who have fprains, which is very pernicious;
they fhould not be ftirred at all, if poflible : abfolute reft
is the beft remedy for them.

A blanket for each man carried under the faddle is of
vail ufe to the hoife's back, as well as to the man on ma-
ny occafions. Every man fhould have one.

Every troop ought to have a cutting-box belonging to
it, and one man conflantly employed in camp all day at it in
chopping hay, ftraw, &c. It is very eafily carried about.

Forage, whatever it is, muft not be cut too long, nor very

Ihort^

BREAKING HORSiES, ^c. 137

fiiort, but of fuch a length, that it may not, from its light-
hefs, be blown up thie horfc's noflrils out of the nofe-bag^
or canvafs trough. A lazy fellow at the cutting-box, if not
watched, is Very apt, by way of getting rid cf his work
foon, to cut it much too longi

The Germans wifely carry, upon all occafions whatever,
every man a double feed of chopped ftraw and corn mixed
together, which is never touched, but by exprefs order of
the commanding officer, and then too in fuch quantities,
and at what time, he thinks fit to diretft. It frequently
happens upon long marches, and even fometimes when the
troops ftand ftill, that forage cannot be procured for fome
days together j then this practicej which I have juft men-
tioned, in ailiort time gives ftrong and apparent proofs of its
utility, by the prefervation of their horfe's good plight. It
is the means of faving the lives of many horfes, and helps,
in cafes of exigencies, to keep up the vigour of moft
cf them. None but thofe, who have been cye-wit-
pejGTes to the fail, can tell what harm a deficiency of forage,
only for two days, docs horfes, efpecially in marches by
night, and in bad weather : fome are often difabled by ic
for the whole campaign, and fome for ever after.

T la

133 AMETHODOF

In the beginning of September, in our climates, green
forage is no longer plenty on the ground. It would there-
fore be prudent from that time to make every man carry
twenty pounds of fpun hay, and afterwards later in the year
a larger quantity. From about the twentieth of Septem-
ber, for example, or thereabouts, he might carry thirty
pounds for the reft of the campaign, and, befides this hay^,
eight pounds of oats mixed with four pounds of cut whea-
ten ftraw, none of thefe to be ever touched, but by order
of the commanding officer, and then in fuch quantity as
he thinks fit. This method would often prevent troop$
from being in great want, and richly repay the horfe for
carrying the forage. As hay fpoils by being kept twilled
up for a long time together, it Ihould be unfpun, and giv-
en to the horfes at the end of three days, and a frefh trufs
fpun, and made up. If the campaign fhould laft through
the whole winter, this forage muft be carried, 'till there
is green forage enough on the ground the enfuing year,
which may not be 'till late, in poor uncultivated countries,
or thofe worn out by war. Whenever horfes come out of
quarters, where they have met with abundance, corn muft
be taken from them by degrees, if poffible, and not all at
once, be the feafon, and the country they take the field

ia

BREAKING HORSES, 6?^. 139

in ever fo good. For a confiderable time horfes will do
very well in the field without corn, if, on coming out of
quarters, they are not weaned from it too fuddenly, and
the weather, and green forage is tolerably good; but late
in the year, when the weather grows bad, and horfes are
obliged to go a great way for forage, fome corn is abfo-
lutely necelTary,

In fetching forage, efpecially from any diflance, the truf-
fes fhould be very well made and fixed, and no men fuffer-
ed to ride on them ; the weight of both being immenfe. I
have very often feen trufies of three hundred weight, which
without a man on it, is a very heavy load. Lazincfs and
eiiftom has made fome people imagine that a trufs of forage
cannot be carried without a man on it, but it is not fo by
any means, if the trufles are well made, and properly fixed;
Thefe, and many other precautions and care, in matters,
feemingly perhaps little and trifling, ought to be deemed;
(as they really are) equally as neceflary for preferving a re-
giment in the condition it ought to be for its own credit,
and the public fervige, as a jufl; diftribution of rewards
.and punilhments. Thefe, and fuch-like attentions fhould
no more be difpenfed with^ than that an officer of each

troop

14© AMETHODOF

troop Ihould Gonflantly vifit every horfe of that troop daily
in their liiieSj cantonmentSj or quarters j and efpecially too^
and without delay, after fatiguing marches, and foul wea-
ther: but if this care be intrufled to a quarter-mafler^
who is already over-loaded, not only with his own, but of-
ten with the whole bufincfs of the officers, beyond a pof-
fibility of executing half of it 3 and if he likewife, (being
indeed in fome meafure compelled to it) lliuffle off his bur-
den, all he can, upon the ferjeants and corporals, what elfe
can be expefled, but that the fame fpirit of idlenefs and
difregard will diffufe itfelf throughout the whole corps ?
Hence no duty would be compleatly and effentially perfor-
med; none in the flables or camp with refpe(5l: to the
horfes, accoutrements, &c. no regularity in cooking ; no
care to fee the men well dried after wet fervice -, in fhort,
no ferious attention to numberlefs other neceiTary articles
of difcipline, &c. whereby a regiment would mofl infa-
moufly fall to ruin, and be very foon rendered unfit for
fervice,

THE END-

I'h,./.

Q

-I- I

I — I

/'Ar/).

/"/a.,).

//.

0.4-

/Va.S.

^^''

i:)

/V^f.6.

T/rfy.

r/a. S\

Ph.().

J'/n. /(>.

/y././/

F/r^JU.

/V^/.A.

I'/rr. /^.

F/a. /5.

r/a. /6. \

I'/njj

17 folding engraved plates, line drawings mostly showing horses
being trained. Podeschi 55 (the 1761 edition).

Just a bit of wear to joints and extremities (tops of joints just
starting to crack), small scar to label, slight loss of gilt from spine
ornaments, otherwise the pleasing binding in excellent condition.
Folding plates with faint offsetting, a couple of minor spots or
smudges, otherwise A VERY FINE COPY INTERNALLY, THE
TEXT AND PLATES VERY FRESH AND CLEAN. (Plate 4) '$500 ,

A cavalry officer who rose to the rank of major general, Herbert
(1734-94) developed a well-earned reputation as an expert in the man-
agement of military horses. After 10 years of personal experience in the
British cavalry, he published the present work in an effort to improve
the state of horsemanship, a goal that the DNB says was achieved by
this "very sensibly written treatise." Herbert's approach to training
horses involved a greater gentleness than had previously been accepted,
along with a more gradual and patient approach in allowing a horse to
become accustomed to something new. He also stressed the importance
of training horses to swim, to jump over dead horses, to obey oral
commands when reins are not available, and to perform a number of
other functions that are required in the course of military campaigns. The
present work was apparently the determining factor in getting his
methods adopted throughout the British cavalry. Our copy comes from
the fourth printing of the book; all of these early editions are rare (NUC
locates either three or four copies of each).